Light's Sacrifice to Darkness
by Ente
Summary: Set in Egypt before the pharaoh's wedding. A plot to destroy the kingdom from the inside, a boy with a mysterious fate, and a terrible sacrifice. COMPLETE!
1. Fate is in Motion

Ok, my first fic. Whew! Just registering is exhausting! I know a lot of authors have awesome little conversations and stuff before their stories. Unfortunately, my brain has no great imagination for cool stuff like that, so you have to bear with me. Haha! Well, this is a story about a kingdom that seems peaceful on the outside but of course there's an evil someone plotting to destroy the peace when something very unexpected happens.

Hope you like it! NOW GO READ!!! ^_^ 

Light's Sacrifice to Darkness

Chapter 1

She watched him pace back and forth across the white tiled floor. He moved gracefully, almost flowing across the ground. She smiled at his nervousness. Usually she was the one whose nerves were jangling while he sat with a calm expression on his face, passive to everything. Well, she thought smirking, almost everything.

He must have noticed the look on her face because the sound of sandled feet slapping against the cool tiles ceased. She looked up. He stood there, tall and foreboding, with a kind of aloof pride she knew she could never master. His crimson eyes, crinkled into a curious expression now, could go dark as the richest wine when a storm of anger was about to hit. He was so remarkable, this man that she loved, and soon, she would be his forever.

"What are you thinking about?" his deep voice asked, cutting through her musings.

She looked into his eyes and smiled, dimples piercing her copper cheeks.

"Nothing you need to know about," she teased. "It would only make your ego even more unbearably huge than it already is."

His face split into a grin, rarely seen before the two of them had found one another. He held out his hand and pulled her into her arms. 

"You bring light into the darkness koi," he told her running his arms down her back. 

She sighed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and burying her face into the side of his neck. 

"Aishiteru,[1]" she whispered against his skin, and pulled back to see his face.

He leaned toward her, his lips coming closer…

"MY PHARAOH!" came a sudden shout from the entrance.

A growl came from his chest and she saw his eyes darken dangerously.

"Yami," she said, gently laying a hand on his arm.

He sighed but nodded pulling away form her. The man standing in front of them wore the white robes of the royal advisors, and was upon one knee in front of the pharaoh.

"My pharaoh, my lady Keturah[2], I apologize if I interrupted anything," the man said, raising his head to look at the pharaoh.

Yami glowered, yes you _did _interrupt, so you had better have something important to say.

"It is forgiven," Yami said waving the apology away, although he would have gutted the man if he _hadn't _apologized. "I assume you came here for a reason?" he asked raising his eyebrows expectantly.

"Yes sir," the advisor said bowing again. "This boy was caught in the royal tombs," he explained. "The punishment for such a crime, need I remind you is death, but Isis," he growled, "thought it better to let you decide his fate. Ra knows why," he muttered under his breath.

"Really?" asked Yami, his arms crossed over his chest. "Well Keenen[3], you speak of this boy I am to judge, yet I see none here. Bring him in!"

Keenen motioned to several guards standing at the entrance of the chamber. The came in quickly, dragging between them the form of a small boy with a dusty cloak covering his head.

Yami stared down at the fragile form before him. This boy had broken into the tombs? He had trouble believing this scrawny boy had enough strength to knock over one of the large vases in the palace halls, let alone to force entry to a heavily guarded place.

"Let go of him," Yami ordered, he didn't see this boy as a threat. "Now then, what is your name?"

Slowly, slowly, the boy raised his head to reveal two great purple eyes, shimmering with unshed tears. He stood straight and proud, and small though he was, it was easy to tell this boy was not afraid.

Yami watched this change with an interest. He stared into the smaller boy's eyes, meeting them with his own blood red ones. The boy met his gaze squarely, and did not look away.

Keturah watched Yami as he studied this boy. He was puzzled, she could see that. She glanced at the smaller boy just as he wrenched his eyes from the pharaoh's glare.

"Yugi," said the boy, his voice echoing in the silent hall.

Keturah cocked her head to one side, this boy had importance, that much she knew. Isis must have foreseen the future of this boy, and for good or evil, he had some role to lay, and so his life could not be ended now.

"You know the penalty for entering the burial place of the pharaohs without permission?" Yami asked.

Yugi's eyes darted over everything but the pharaoh's face. He did not want to battle those eyes again. Suddenly, behind the pharaoh he noticed a woman with long black hair standing beside the throne. Her eyes unlike the pharaoh's were a dark warm brown, and he sought refuge in them from the hard stare of the pharaoh. The red eyes seemed to bore into his very soul….He heard the pharaoh's question as though from a distance, but answered with a courage he did not feel.

"Hai[4], I knew," he said, keeping his eyes on the woman. 

She smiled at this little boy. He was afraid she knew, but he put on a brave face. This boy had a strong spirit. 

"Do you think you deserve the punishment appointed to such a crime?" Yami asked. 

"By your laws?" Yugi asked.

Yami nodded.

"Then I would say as duty to the law and to the throne, I must be executed."

Yami stared. This boy, Yugi, intrigued him. No groveling or pleas for forgiveness. Only the straight truth of what he deserved. The boy had practically signed his own death sentence.

"And if not by my law?" Yami asked. 

"Then entering the tombs would be no crime," Yugi said.

A guard slapped the boy across the face, sending him reeling. Yami lifted a hand, signaling the guard to stop.

Yugi laughed, his lip bleeding. 

"Is your law so just?" he asked rubbing the blood away.

"Perhaps," was the only reply given by the pharaoh.

A moment passed on silence, all eyes fixed upon their king. When he made no move, Keenen stepped forward.

"His fate, pharaoh?" he implored.

Yami opened his mouth eyes on the boy before him.

"There is no sentence yet!" a voice rang from behind the king. 

The onlookers watched as the pharaoh's betrothed (i hate that word!) appeared from behind him. They sank to there knees as she took her place beside Yami.

Yugi watched in disbelief. His salvation from the pharaoh's gaze had been the queen?

Yami looked at Keturah startled. She stood beside him with confidence. 

"Who are we really," she asked, "to decide the fates of those who live and those who die? Do not some wrong doers amend their ways if given a second chance? Do we in fact know that this boy has committed any crime, if under other law he would be spared? And if he is innocent," she continued turning to Yami, "should he really have to suffer that fate simply because of what he is? In Osiris's eyes are our hearts not all equal, with no different Ma'at feather for the noble or the wretched?"

Yugi listened to her words. Confidence flowed into his blood. 'Be proud of who and what you are, no matter what it may be." He remembered his mother's final words as she had passed on into the after life. He had been eight years old.

Yami watched the smaller bot straighten, and a he did so, the dusty cloak concealing his features fell away.

The guards backed away startled. This boy looked almost identical to their pharaoh! Eyes darted between the two, as though reassuring themselves that there was no some kind of magic trick at work.

In a dark corner, shielded from view, a man stood watching.

"Well, well," he chuckled menacingly. "We have the prince of the gods, and now, the prince of peasants." 

[1] Japanese for "I love you"

[2] The name of the woman speaking in the beginning, if you haven't figured it out yet. Means "sacrifice"…HINT HINT!!!!

[3] Name of one of Yami's high priests. Means "fighter" 

[4] "yes" in Japanese

Wow! The first chapter. Sorry if it's a little short. Please read&review!! I don't think I'll be able to post more until after New Years but never fear, the story shall continue as long as someone reviews!

Happy Holidays!


	2. Jewels in the Desert

Chapter 2

Yami looked in astonishment at the boy standing in front of him. He seemed to be a smaller replica of himself. The pharaoh surveyed this, Yugi carefully. The only differences he could find were the eye color, three streaks of blond running through his hair that this boy lacked, and he thought smirking, the height.

Keturah smiled at the figure in front of her. She watched Yami for his answer to her argument. 'Please,' she thought, 'spare his life. One so pure should not suffer death because of a mistake.

"How old are you?" Yami inquired. Keturah's words had stayed a hammer ready to fall. He did not really wish to kill someone who in truth had done nothing wrong.

"Fifteen," came the reply.

Keenen watched anxiously. Something strange was going on. Why was the pharaoh taking so much time to consider this peasant?

"Wench," muttered the man in the shadows. "Meddling woman. You'll pay."

"How did you make it into the tomb?" the pharaoh asked curiously.

Yugi shrugged.

"I'm not quite sure…your highness," he added quickly glancing at the guards. "It felt as though I was being called towards the doors, and the next thing I remember was being grabbed by one of the guards."

Yami surveyed the situation. The guards expected him to punish the boy for breaking the law, but if Yugi really did have a larger part to play in the grand scheme of things, he would need to be alive in the future. Keturah stepped up beside him.

"If you pardon him," she said, "I would take Yugi into my care and have him help the gardeners in the palace."

Yugi stared. Already this woman had risked angering the pharaoh. For the life of one poor boy she would endanger herself again? It was unthinkable. The people said that the pharaoh was cold and unfeeling, yet he was clearly listening to the facts, and trying to make a fair decision. Maybe they had been wrong, maybe he had changed…

Yami raised an eyebrow at the woman he loved.

"Is that truly your wish?" he asked her seriously. "If you adopt him into your service there must be a fine to remove the punishment."

She bowed. 

"I understand this my pharaoh," she said, eyes on the ground. "I am willing to see that the justice is served if his life is spared."

"Then I grant him to you," Yami said. 

He turned to face the boy who was watching with a bedazzled amazement all over his small face. 

"You owe your life and your honor to my lady," he told Yugi. "She will appoint you duties as she sees fit and you are to obey without complaint. Is that clear?"

"Yes, pharaoh," Yugi replied bowing, only just realizing how close he had come to death. It took his breath away.

Keturah stepped forward smiling.

"Come," she said, and lead the way from the hall.

Yugi followed, his small feet slapping loudly against the ground as he hurried to catch up.

Yami them disappear out of the door. Isis and Keturah both seemed to have great faith in the boy, he only hoped it was not misplaced. 

He dismissed Keenen and the guards and sank into the throne rubbing his temples. This scenario seemed strangely familiar, like a dream long ago, now forgotten. Yami stood up abruptly and strode off toward the royal library, his robes billowing out behind him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Keturah lead Yugi through the palace's winding halls, laughing at the expressions crossing his face at the sight of the huge marble pillars, and immense chambers. When they reached the gardens it seemed he would either begin to dance around or faint straight away. He did neither, only stood with his mouth wide open and purple eyes sparkling with wonder as he surveyed the scene before him.

The garden was almost like a room with walls and ceiling made of plants. There were no real walls, but more marble columns with small trees and vines clustered around them and climbing up, almost completely concealing the stone from view. The ceiling was a living trellace of flowering stalks, palm fronds, and perfumed flowers clinging to long green vines. Rays of the hot Egyptian sun peeked through the leafy roof, warming a small spring resting in the center of the room. Perched in the trees were a huge assortment of birds, many rarely found in Egypt, all flashing like crystals in the midst of the sea of green.

"My reaction was similar," Keturah told Yugi, "the first time I saw this place. It's beautiful, ne?

"I can't even begin to describe it!" he exclaimed. "Beautiful seems to common a word to be used on this. It is truly a paradise in the middle of a desert wasteland." 

"I'm not sure about the wasteland bit," she replied, "but it is a paradise."

The two stood side by side for a moment drinking in the beauty of the place.

"Would you like to care for the plants of for the birds?" Keturah asked, breaking the peaceful quiet of the room.

"If it's all right," Yugi implored, "I think I'd rather work with the birds."

"Of course it's alright," she said laughing. "If it wasn't I wouldn't have asked."

They went to the place where laundry was done and found a gardener's uniform for Yugi. It took some intense searching to find one small enough, but they found one almost the right size near the bottom of the stack. It consisted of a pastel green shirt made of thin linen that let the breeze pass through, and a pair of sturdy breeches, baggy and a dark beige color. There was also a pair of sandals, but Yugi decided he would rather go barefoot. Once he was properly attired, Yugi followed Keturah back to the garden. She was beginning to show him his duties when a tall boy wearing a uniform similar to Yugi's ran in.

"Lady," he panted, bending quickly in a low bow, "the pharaoh wishes for your presence."

"Where is he Mitt?" she asked calmly.

"In the library, left hand side, second row from the back," the boy responded quickly.

"Alright," she said, but put her hands on Yugi's shoulders. "Mitt, this is Yugi, he's beginning work in the garden. Would you show him the ropes with the birds?"

Mitt nodded and bowed as she swept down the hall. Yugi followed his example, bowing awkwardly to her retreating back.

As he straightened, Mitt watched the other boy out of the corners of his eyes. So this was the little look alike of the pharaoh that all the servants were buzzing about. It was rather shocking when you first saw him.

"It's Yugi right?" he asked.

"Hai," Yugi replied cheerfully.

"I'm Mitt," he said introducing himself. "With the birds everything is pretty straight foreword. Each type has a different food. The dishes and food bags are color coded, so as long as you know where to find the dishes feeding isn't difficult."

They spent the next hour walking around the palace, Mitt pointing out different people along the way. When they finished the 'tour' they headed back toward the garden. It was empty, so the two sat and amused themselves with skipping stones across the pond for a time. Just when they were beginning to get bored with that, another boy ran in. He was wearing a blue tunic instead of the green of the gardeners.

"A runner," Mitt explained.

"Mitt!" the boy called out, "the priests need some herbs from the storehouse. They've a list for you there. I've got to go," he explained, "Isis wants me to stop the cooks from burning supper."

Mitt nodded.

"Good fortune and swift feet," he said in farewell, and the boy sprinted off.

"I've got to be going to then," Mitt announced jumping up. "If I can sneak away later I'll look for you," he assured Yugi seeing the unease in the smaller boy's eyes.

"Good fortune and swift feet!" Yugi chirped.

Mitt grinned and waved as he leapt over a tree root and into another of the many halls. 

Yugi sighed and sank down into a crouch on the ground. 

'Alone again,' he thought, poking at the dirt.

A bird sang out a single sweet note as it jumped from a branch into the air.

'Well,' Yugi thought, as a small smile crept onto his face, 'Almost alone.' 


	3. Dusk, Darkness, and Game

YEAH!! I got a review!!! Thank you so so so much!!! I hope you like the way it goes. If anyone has suggestions leave it in a review! ^-^

I forgot disclaimer before and I probably will again so this is for the whole story, but I am really sorry about that so…

****

*bows down and grovels at the feet of Kazuki Takahashi*

I AM VERY SORRY FOR THIS TERRIBLE CRIME!!! I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH! IF I DID IT WOULD PROBABLY BE PLASTERED ALL OVER MY HOUSE AND I WOULD SAVE A LOT OF MONEY FROM BUYING TO MUCH YUGIOH STUFF!!

(hope that was acceptable^-^)

Chapter 3

__

Two heroes different

And yet the same,

The dusk and the darkness 

Joined with the game.

One alone,

Lost in the night,

Waiting listening,

Ready to fight.

Heart hardened,

Frozen and cold, 

Waiting, watching, 

For a spirit of gold.

The other close by,

But in a different world,

Surrounded by love,

Stories being told.

Stories of princes,

Of dark and of light,

Together forming,

An unfathomed might.

The first's strength will be tested,

Sacrifice is his fate,

His heart will be softened,

Can he destroy hate?

The second's spirit is tried,

By the deaths of loved ones,

But he will continue,

Under the sun.

They meet in a time,

Peaceful it seems,

The second one drawn

By his own fated dreams.

A betrayal is planned,

From inside a plot,

By the king's most trusted,

His death is sought.

Sacrifice kidnapped,

For her life her love fears,

When found nothing sways him,

Not amethyst tears.

She alone knows the truth,

But can she persuade,

The hate to relinquish,

The hand to be stayed?

In words or in mind,

The trust is regained,

But the plot is in motion,

The kingdom must be saved.

Sacrifice, sacrifice

For those that she loves,

In the night sky,

She'll watch from above.

The innocent one, 

Gives up his life,

To settle his other half's 

Sorrow and strife.

Back comes the loved one,

But the little one's gone,

Was their life wasted?

In the end who has won?

-Prophets 2000 years ago

(Now is that amazing or what?? I wrote it in the car while my sister read it over my shoulder and laughed at me so you'll have to excuse parts that are a little off. -_- my sister is very annoying. Thinks Yugioh is stupid and yet comes to watch every time it's on…^-^ anyway, back to the story!)

Yami reread the pages again and again as he waited for Keturah to appear. This had been one of his lessons when he was small, which he had found very confusing at the time. 

'But this is from 200 years ago!' his mind protested. 'It couldn't possibly have anything to do with you!'

'Still,' Yami thought, 'there are some startling coincidences…Two princes was what it seemed to be talking about. Well, I'm one prince apparently. At least the direction of my life seems to generally follow the description of the dark prince. But the prince of light?'

He puzzled over this for many long minutes before he read the first group of lines once more.

'Different yet the same….' The image of Yugi's face flashed before his eyes. 'Darkness joined with the game?'

Yugi signified "game" but did that mean that he was supposed to help Yami deliver the kingdom from some kind of chaos? There were many puzzles and hidden meanings buried within the words. Yami leaned back in the tall chair he was sitting in and closed his eyes.

'A betrayal planned…Sacrifice for those that she loves…' "Is this my future?" the pharaoh wondered aloud.

"Do you believe in it?" a voice returned.

Yami's eyes snapped open and he shot up straight in his seat. Keturah sat across from him at the desk, her head resting on her crossed arms, eyes laughing.

Yami relaxed when he realized who it was. He hated being taken by surprise, but she was always an exception.

"Do I believe?" he repeated.

She looked up at his face seriously. He stood up and crossed to the window, looking out to the busy marketplace across the vineyard. 

"I don't want to," he said, turning to look at her. "Must one's paths be predetermined or can you change your destiny?"

She stood and crossed to him, he white dress swaying as she moved. Keturah stood in front of the man she loved, the one person in the world that mattered more to her than life its self, and placed one hand on each of his cheeks forcing him to look into her eyes. His eyes, cold and foreboding to most, showed her what he felt in his heart. There was love there, and hope, but also, most prominent was an irrepressible fear.

"Destiny may spin us in any which way," she told him. "Even if for us, the ends are not favorable, isn't it worth the ache and the pain if our children and our kingdom would be given a better life?"

"We may have no children if our fate is death," he told her grimly.

"Life's ends are set," she said smiling. "It does no good to try to change them.

With those words she pulled his head down and met his lips with her own. His hands slid to her waist and drew her against him. She tangled her hands in his dark hair, fingers tracing the edges of his ears. After a long moment, they drew back.

"Four more days[1] koi[2]," he breathed against her cheek and kissed each of her eyes.

Keturah smiled, relishing the strength of his hands and the warmth of his body against hers. She laid her head on his shoulder.

"Four more days," she murmured, closing her eyes.

The two stood together for a long while in each other's arms, outlined against the setting sun.

Hooray! Another chapter! This chapter is dedicated to Raksha666 for giving me my first review!!! Thank you! 

[1] four days until the wedding ^_^

[2] Japanese for "love"

Sorry that the poem thing takes up most of the chapter, but I'll update with actual stuff happening soon! 


	4. Blooming Cereus

Hello to all the awesome people who take time to actually read this!! ^-^ Another chapter! I haven't quite figured out who the guy in the shadows in the beginning is but he becomes more important later. Any suggestions on who he should be? Lookie! I remembered the disclaimer:

I do not own Yugioh, which as depressing as that may seem, is true, and if the people who do own Yugioh ever feel like giving it to me, they are most welcome! ^.~

Okay! Chapter 4!

Yugi found himself still sitting in the garden as the sun set into the night. Figuring they had forgotten about him, he wandered out of the garden trying to follow Mitt's steps to the kitchen. However, he soon discovered navigating in an enormous palace with someone who knows their way around, and alone at night, were two very different things. After getting hopelessly lost, Yugi slid down against a cold marble wall and laid his head on his knees, warm tears soaking through the rough cloth to his legs. 

"Well, well," a deep voice rumbled through the darkness. "What have we here?"

Yugi lifted his head and blinked sleepily. He must have dozed off. Only then did he notice the pair of tanned feet on the floor in front of him. His eyes scanned up the white tunic and over the many golden bracelets and bangles, stopping to meet, once again, a pair of crimson eyes.

Yugi shot to his feet like a cork out of a bottle, and bowed as quickly as he could manage without toppling over.

"I'm sorry your highness!" he told the floor. "I didn't see you!"

Yami raised an eyebrow at the back of Yugi's head. "Unless you have another set of eyes not visible, or sleep with yours open I would find it difficult to do so."

Yugi looked up. Surely he was going to be punished for something. But the pharaoh's eyes were laughing, very different from the eyes he had encountered previously. 

"Do you need some help in finding the right path?" Yami asked.

Yugi stared. The pharaoh, a walking god, was speaking to him like an equal, not to mention offering to help _him, _a nobody.

"Unless you are lurking in a hall in the middle of the night for a reason?" Yami asked curiously, cocking his head to one side.

Yugi blushed. "I got lost," he muttered.

The pharaoh nodded understanding. "It takes a while to be able to recognize the different corridors," he said. "Don't worry, you'll catch on."

Yami turned and began walking down the hall. When he heard no footfalls other than his own, he turned back to see the younger boy watching him go.

"I can't very well show you where to go if you don't come, now can I?" he asked.

Yugi seemed to realize what he meant, because he scampered quickly down the hall to catch up with the pharaoh. Yami lead him down many twisting and turning passageways until reaching the garden. However, they did not stop there, and he lead Yugi on into a narrow hall with mud walls lined with wooden doors. Yami stopped near the end in front of a door with a hieroglyph for a Night-Blooming Cereus[1]

carved into it. 

"These are your quarters," Yami explained. "It is your responsibility to take care of them as you wish." He turned to leave. "I'll ask someone to help you around tomorrow," he said. "Oyasuminasai[2], Yugi," and he strode off.

"Oyasuminasai, pharaoh," the boy replied. "Arigato[3]."

Yugi let himself into the room. It was airy, but had the feeling that it had not been used for a lengthy amount of time. The furniture consisted of a small wooden bed and a wobbly nightstand. At the foot of the bed was a chest, which upon further investigation was found to be holding several changes of his gardener's uniform. Yugi lay back on the bed and stared through a skylight in the straw roof. 

'This turn of events is becoming very strange,' he thought to himself. 'No matter how hard I try to find the answers to all my questions, all I find are more mysteries.' He remembered a story his grandmother had told him several years ago, about to legendary heroes saving Egypt from darkness.

'You are the hope for this task,' she had told him. 'You only must find the strength to help you do it.'

When his family had died, he had set out to find the strength she had spoken of but had not gotten very far. 'So many more questions," Yugi thought as he rolled over, and fell into a restless sleep.

Yami walked down the corridor to his chamber. The boy Yugi seemed completely incapable of any malice or ill will, and Yami was finding it hard not to trust him. 'If he is the prince of light the prophecy spoke of, we are supposed to stop evil together,' Yami thought. 'Maybe it is my destiny to trust him,' he thought as he pushed open the door to his bedchamber and closed it behind him. He quickly removed his jewelry and sandals, and sank gratefully into the huge bed. He was drifting off when he felt something on his arm. His fighting reflexes made his body snap up into a defensive position as he peered around blearily, and saw Keturah smiling at him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, still blinking sleep away from his eyes.

"I came to see you," she said, still smiling. "It's far to quiet in my room, I can't sleep. Do you think I could _squeeze _in there with you?" she asked, eyeing the large bed.

Yami grinned and lifted the covers for her to slip under. When she lay beside him he listened to her breathing before slipping an arm over her hip, and sinking into a deep sleep.

Keturah smiled as she felt him relax and heard his breaths deepen. She snuggled closer to him, burrowing into the pillows. She turned and looked at his face, brushing his golden bags out of his eyes. She had really come to watch him as he slept. If the prophecy was true, there would be betrayal, and she didn't want to leave his side until it was over. It was her destiny, for him, and for the world. She was sacrifice.

Yeah! Please read and review! ^-^

[1] A desert cactus that is usually kind of ugly, except for when it blooms at night

[2] Japanese for "good night"

[3] Japanese for "thank you"


	5. Mysteries in the Sand

Hey!! No more reviews yet. *sob* its ok, I'm over it. ^-^ although it is still nice to get reviews! This weekend everything is getting up and running again so I don't know how much I'll be able to do, but I have no homework today (YEAH!) so I'll update now! I'm so nice to you guys, ne? Ok, well hope you like the next chapter, and if you read, please REVIEW!! ^. ~

Chapter 5 (wow, 5 already!)

Yugi blinked blearily, the foggy shapes coming into focus. He thought he had heard footsteps. As he began to fall back asleep, he heard someone speak.

"You are the pharaoh's other half," a deep foreboding voice murmured, cutting through the silence of the night. "He must die, the pharaoh, he no longer rules as is right. He forgives to easily. You must help to kill him little one."

'Kill him?!' Yugi thought. "I can't!" he shouted. "He gave me a second chance! He was kind to me! I can't betray him! And the Lady! What would she think then?"

The voice chuckled darkly. "If you will not kill him, then you must die by his hand. Do you still refuse?"

"I don't care!" Yugi screamed. "I can't betray their trust!" he looked wildly around and saw a dark figure standing below the skylight.

"So be it," the stranger said. "Be prepared to meet your death," and he sprang up through the skylight, leaving Yugi to lay awake, terrible thoughts and worries running wild inside his head.

Yami rose at dawn the next morning, walking through the dim, incense-filled halls until he reached the temple of Osiris. The building was made of white granite, sparkling in the rising sun. In the center of the temple was a large pillar going up through the ceiling. Wrapped around the column was the carved likeness of the great dragon god of the sky. Yami paid tribute to the god, leaving an offering by the base of the statue. 

"May all ends meet for the greater good of my people," he murmured, and left as the first rays of sun shot into the temple making the rubies inset on the dragon's back shine like the stars. 

As he walked, Yami found himself being drawn towards the tombs of the previous pharaohs. The guards bowed as he passed. Red eyes surveyed the hieroglyphs etched into the ornate walls. He had never really looked at theme before, but as he did, he wondered what had drawn Yugi there the day before. His father, mother, grandfather…so many, they went on and on until he came to a room unfinished. There were two places for sarcophaguses side by side.

"My tomb," he said looking around the chamber.

On the right side, a warm breeze seemed to be drifting through a hole in the uncompleted wall. Yami walked over and stood there looking out. Instead of seeing the scaffolding for the slaves he saw yet another unfinished room. It was smaller than the previous one but much less dingy, sunlight streaming in the huge gap in the wall. As he stepped in tentatively, Yami saw several symbols near the ceiling. Moving closer he saw the words read "Mou hitori no Yugioh." The other game king.

Yami pulled his head back feeling confused. The other game king…the dark and the light…together…he climbed up atop the huge tomb and into the scaffolds. When he reached the top he stood and gazed out over his kingdom, not knowing that the other stood similarly, letting the sad beat against his skin, looking over his home. 

Yugi sat on the straw roof of his room. He had climbed out the skylight to watch the day being born. As he gazed out across the desert he thought he saw someone standing there, with golden flashes sparkling across them, but he blinked and the image disappeared. Yugi's mind went back to the mysterious stranger in his room last night. Had it all just been a dream? Or were the pharaoh and the kingdom really in danger?

"Oi! Yugi!" a voice called up through the skylight. Yugi pulled himself back over to the opening in the roof and saw Mitt's face peering up at him. 

"What were you doing up there?" Mitt asked curiously.

"Watching the world wake up," Yugi replied, jumping down.

"Oh," said Mitt, raising an eyebrow. "Whatever. We have three feeding times a day but the first is just after sunrise so COME ON!"

He grabbed Yugi by the arm and dragged him off to the gardens. The two took care of the birds before getting breakfast for themselves. Once all the dishes had been filled, they raced off to the kitchen. Each boy got a bowl of thick porridge (which wasn't very good) and some fresh figs. They walked through the halls munching on the remaining figs, Mitt pointing out different statues and markers for telling you where you were.

"There are also little tiles along the edges of the floor," he said pointing. There were several different colored strips of tiles running parallel to the edges of the wall. "If you follow the pale green ones you'll eventually make it back to the garden," Mitt explained. "The gold ones go to the Temple of Ra, red to Osiris, dark blue to Obelisk. The light blue go to the priests, yellow to the kitchen, and dark green to the throne room. What?" he asked, seeing Yugi's troubled expression.

"Where do the black ones lead?" he asked.

Mitt looked at him, surprised uncertain. "the black ones? They lead…to the pharaoh's quarters.

Keturah walked slowly down the hall away from Yami's room, and was surprised to see Yugi standing alone peering out a window. What was he doing out in this wing of the palace?

"Yugi?" she called out softly. "Is something wrong?"

The smaller boy turned to face her, his amethyst eyes filled with doubt.

"I have this weird feeling," he said, "In the pit of my stomach. It feels like it's telling me something's wrong, and I _should know what it is._"

"Everyone seems to be having that feeling," she told him as someone passed behind her. "Whatever is going to happen will, it's no one's fault, and no one should know what beforehand."

"You put a lot of faith in the future," Yugi replied.

Keturah laughed. "I know," she said, "People tell me I spend to much time with Isis. She's beginning to rub off on me." ^-^

"Lady?" Yugi inquired timidly. "Why does the queen bother for the welfare of a poor country boy?"

She blinked. "Why?" Keturah asked. "Because I don't believe in throwing people's lives away if they can change. And you have something special that I want to hold on to."

"What's that?" Yugi asked surprise evident in his voice.

"A good heart," she told him. "But you know Yugi, I'm not the queen."

"What?" Yugi shrieked.

"Well," she said, laughing at his out burst. "I won't be for three more days yet." She looked at him carefully, considering something. "Yugi, would you like to be invited to our wedding?"

"Me?" asked Yugi, astonished. "I'd be honored," he replied as she smiled again.

As Yugi looked at her he noticed her eyes fix behind him and a puzzled expression cross her face. He was just about to turn around when behind Keturah he saw a dark shape looming upward.

"Lady!" he exclaimed, "Behin-!" but he was cut off by a sharp pain at the base of his skull. A leering smile was the last thing he remembered before he plunged into darkness.

OOOOOOOH! A cliffy! Hehehe! I have an idea for the "man in the shadows" but I still want opinions. ^-^ Hope everyone like the chapter, now do your stuff! R&R!!! 


	6. Crimson Fury

LOOK!! MORE REVIEWS!!! AHHHHHHHHH!! I think I'm going to die of happiness! *sniff* (hugs computer and yells into it) THANK YOU EVERONE!! 

Naomi-chan: Don't worry the puzzle is gonna show up pretty soon! ^-^ I think at least one of their friends will show up (I won't say which! ^. ~) If you would like a few of them to be in it please tell me who you think they should be(in the story) and I'll add them in!! Thanks for reviewing ^____^ (biggest smile possible!)

Destiny's Dragon: I'm glad you like it so far!! More chapters soon!! 

Chapter 6

When he came to, Yugi found himself laying on a hard surface, with a terrible throbbing in his head. As things began to come into focus, he saw Keturah lying next to him, eyes closed and unconscious. Suddenly the memory of what had happened came flooding back and Yugi pulled himself into a defensive crouch. Behind him, Yugi heard a low laugh like thunder. He spun around and saw a tall man in a dark cloak standing above him, blocking out the sun.

"Well, little prince," a voice rumbled from the hood, "You'll find it difficult to escape your fate this time."

Yugi looked up at the figure, sincerely confused. "My fate?" he asked.

The man laughed again. "Yes, little prince, your fate. Death by those you love."

"What do you mean?" Yugi demanded.

However, instead of answering, the man froze, looking out toward the horizon. Yugi followed his gaze and saw almost a dozen horsemen charging towards them across the desert, surrounded by a cloud of dust.

"May Osiris judge you fairly," said the dark figure, and he wrapped his cloak around himself, and simply seemed to melt into the air. 

Yugi stared in disbelief, but was pulled out of his trance by a muffled groan behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see Keturah sitting up holding her head. There was a large bruise on the left side of her face.

"Lady!" he exclaimed. "Are you all right?"

She opened her eyes and saw the little figure in front of her. "Yugi!" she gasped. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure," he blurted out, "there was this man saying I would have trouble escaping my fate this time!" In a rush Yugi told her about the man who had asked him to help assassinate Yami. "But I swear, I had nothing to do wit it!" he cried, tears of desperation leaking out the corners of his eyes.

Keturah looked at him amazed, and just as she was about to answer, the cavalry arrived.

"My lady!" exclaimed the man at the front of the group. He jumped off his horse and pulled Keturah to her feet. This man was foreign to Yugi. He was tall and slim with dark brown hair and startling blue eyes. And he wore the robes of the pharaoh's priests.

"Seto," Keturah began, but before she could go further, there was an earsplitting roar across the desert. Suddenly streaking towards them was a monstrous dragon, red scales flashing in the sun, claws black and deadly. Osiris, god of the sky, and at his side stood the pharaoh's servant, the Dark Magician.

"I see pharaoh-sama is not happy with the present situation," the priest said, glancing at the two monsters behind him. "Come," he said, turning to Keturah. "We are expected." He spun to look at the guards. "Bind him," he ordered, flicking him head in Yugi's direction. As two guards roughly tied Yugi's hands, his eyes found Keturah. She was standing still, frozen in place, and was staring with a disbelieving anger at the Dark Magician, he love's ka. 

"I can't believe you," she whispered.

"Keturah!" Yugi shouted desperately. She spun around. "I didn't do it! I swear! I didn't-!" he stopped as one of the soldiers pointer a long knife in his direction.

"Speak again," the man warned ominously, "and you will experience true pain."

Yugi was silent, but Keturah saw the pleading in his eyes, and through her own, conveyed the message in her heart.

'I believe you Yugi.'

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Seto stood before the pharaoh, trying not to show the anxiety coursing through him, and he was not even the one at which the pharaoh's wrath was directed. _That_ one stood before the throne, forced onto his knees by the guards beside him. 

"Pharaoh," Seto announced steadily, mastering his concern, "We have brought back the Lady Keturah, and we also bring this," he said, kicking the boy at his feet. "The traitor."

Yami whirled around, his fury apparent in every feature. His pupils were black pinpricks in the ruby irises, his mouth tensed, and breathing heavy. He walked slowly over to the boy and spoke in a soft low voice, more dangerous and deadly than any other.

"I trusted you," Yami hissed. "I gave you a chance to redeem yourself, and you go and try to take that which is most precious to me, even though it was she who spared your life?" 

He strode across the floor anger radiating from his lean form. Suddenly, beside him the Dark Magician appeared, staff pointed directly at Yugi. Yami glared at the smaller boy, and suddenly grabbed Yugi's hair forcing his face upward.

"You say nothing in your defense?" Yami sneered. 

Yugi lifted his eyes to Yami's face and saw the distrust and rage written there. Tears trailed down Yugi's grimy face. "Yami, I-!" Yugi broke off as Yami's hand connected with the side of his head.

"Speak not so to me," the pharaoh hissed in his ear. "Death is better than staying alive for you now," he said. "Living would be much more painful." He turned to Seto. "And now it shall begin."

A low drum began beating slowly. Two guards held Yugi restraining him from going anywhere. More tears poured from Yugi's large eyes, but he made no sound. As he stared up at the pharaoh and the Dark Magician, he knew what would be his fate.

"The blow will be dealt by my hand!" Yami roared. "DARK MAGIC ATTACK!"

A great light gathered at the tip of the magician's staff as he pulled it above his head. It came streaking down, the blast poured forth, the amethyst eyed boy directly in its path.

Another chapter typed and posted! I'm going to have to do some serious writing if I'm going to keep up with how fast I update! ^-^ I know it's another cliffy but I'm trying to type the next chapter before I get booted off the cpu! Read and Review please!


	7. Koi vs Ka

Ok, I'm trying to type this really fast so if there's a lot of typos I'm sorry! ^-^

Here we go!

OH WAIT! 

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh, only mass collections of dvds, cards, books, ect. (basically, I'm a fanatic! Now back to the story!)

(just to refresh you memory, "The blow will be dealt by my hand!" Yami roared. "DARK MAGIC ATTACK!" A great light gathered at the tip of the magician's staff as he pulled it above his head. It came streaking down, the blast poured forth, the amethyst eyed boy directly in it's path.)

Chapter 7

"NO!" she shrieked, slamming herself against the door. "Yami you can't do this! He wasn't involved!"

Keturah threw herself against the wall again, desperation more apparent in every movement. The door was as thick as the bricks used in the pyramids, it was impossible to break open. Defeated, she slid down the wall into a crouch on the floor, remembering their return from the desert…

She had tried to convince Seto to release Yugi as they rode back, but he had refused, saying his orders came from the pharaoh, orders that not even she could overturn. When they had reached the palace, she had been taken directly to the pharaoh's chambers where Yami was under guard by Isis's orders to keep him from doing anything drastic. As soon as the four priests guarding the door had relinquished their spells, he had burst out into the hall proclaiming that he was going to do terrible things to each of the people restraining him. However, at that point he had caught sight of Keturah and all other thought had seemed to cease. In his eyes where before had been an overwhelming anger, there was now a kind of desperate hope, and a need to assure himself that what he was seeing was real, not just an illusion. The guards had drawn back from her fearfully as the pharaoh crossed in two steps and wrapped his arms around her. Neither one had made any sound, she only closed her eyes and wrapped her own arms around him. They stood locked together, emotions filtering from one to the other with an earthshaking speed. 

She dismissed the guards and lead Yami back into the chamber as he seemed temporarily incapable of normal actions. Once they were alone he had swept her into a powerful embrace, whispering in her ears, "I'm never letting go again koi."

They stood side by side holding onto one another until a timid knock on the door alerted them to how long they had been standing there.

"Pharaoh-sama[1]?" a guard inquired meekly, "We are waiting for you in the throne room. They are holding the boy there."

With those words the fires of hate and betrayal had sprung to life once again in Yami's eyes. "I will be there momentarily," he returned curtly. 

Keturah laid her hand on his shoulder as he made to leave the room. "Yami," she said, "he didn't kidnap me. He couldn't."

He turned to face her. "Have you any proof of that?"

"I have his word," she retorted. "And I believe it."

Yami lowered his eyes for a moment before meeting hers. "You place to much trust in the boy," he told her. "As you have done from the beginning." He turned again to leave. 

"If you will not trust his words or my heart, then at least give him another chance."

The pharaoh's crimson eyes flicked back once more. "He has used up all his chances in my eyes," he said, striding into the marble hallway as he turned to face her for the last time.

"If you try to harm him," she warned, warm eyes going dark and cold, "I will have to stand between you."

"I know you would," Yami said, lifting his arms out in front of him. "However you will get no such opportunity."

Keturah darted forward just as he sent a blast of shadow magic out. She was thrown back into the room as the heavy door slammed shut behind him.

(back to present) She buried her head in her arms remembering. She hadn't been fast enough, and now Yugi would pay for it with his life.

Yugi closed his eyes as the stream of magic flew toward him from the magician's staff, bracing himself for the impact.

Seto watched in amazement as the dark energy grew nearer to the boy kneeling on the floor. Just as it was about to make contact, there was a bright flash of white light and before Yugi, appeared another magician. The boy's ka[2].

Yami's eyes widened. "Maha Vailo[3]!" he whispered. 

The two magicians were visible for a moment standing motionless before each other before they were engulfed in a blinding orb of regal luminance. Suddenly the light shot out in all directions from the central point where the magicians had stood, with an astounding force.

When the light had faded and they were able to see again, every person in the hall was sprawled on the ground, except for two solitary figures, on standing, and one kneeling. 

[1] Japanese = a respectful term

[2] sort of like your spirit (sorry I'm not good at these explanations)

[3] the monster that "suites Yugi best" (episode 103 Freeze Play Part 2)

Hope everyone enjoyed that! I'll see what else I can do this weekend. Only one more chapter to type before I have to start writing rough draft stuff again, so if you have any characters or something you want me to add tell me soon! ^-^ now give me an R! "R" give me an E! "E" give me a V! "V" give me an I! "I" give me another E! "E" give me a W! "W" YEAH! Now go do it! ^.~ (hope you guys can spell!) 


	8. Voices in a Labyrinth

OMG!! The review numbers have reached the double digits! (dances around the room) YAY! I love you guys! Maybe I'll post big pictures of chocolate thank you things around and you can drool over them! Hehe!

elsiey: Thank you so, so, so much! ^-^ I'm glad you like! And I read the next chapter of The Chopin Season! Please continue with that, its awesome!  
SoulDreamer: I hope you like this too! Thanks for both your reviews! ^-^ 

Crimson-Eyed-Angel99: WOW! 4 reviews!! *tears*** **thank you!! Thank you thank you thank you thank you! I'm sorry about the romance stuff, I know I'm not really-!

Bakura: -_- She can't write romance for beans, and she hates beans. Its okay, _I _know that it stinks

_ excuse me!

Yami: WATCH IT BAKA! That's my romance you're talking about!

Bakura: yeah, well, baka pharaoh couldn't have a romance if his life depended on it ^-^

Yami: (grabs a plunger) Say that again…

Bakura: Okay! baka pharaoh couldn't have a romance-! (is attacked with plunger and it gets stick on his head)

Yami: HAHA! Haibokusha(loser) tomb robber! 

Bakura(from the plunger): Minikui(ugly) pharaoh! 

Yami: grrrrr *idea*(takes out a bottle of hair dye) *evil chuckle*

-_- okay, while they have their little battle, I admit once again, I cannot write romance it is a known fact. Gomen! ^-^ 

Destiny's Dragon: Thank you!! Don't worry more chapters will ensue! ^_^ 

Hutchy: I think they kinda have a little brother/sister/friend thing going on. Sorry if you wanted them to have feelings, but then Yami would either murder someone or become suicidal, and we want this to be a happy ending! ^-^ thanks for your review!!

On to the next chappy!

Chapter 8

Yugi rubbed his eyes, frantically trying to clear the picture set before them. However, when he opened his eyes again, the vision remained. Instead of the pearly white throne room of the palace, he was standing in a small windowless room not unlike his quarters in the gardener's wing of the palace, except all the furniture had disappeared. Replacing it, littering the floor were all varieties of games. Cards, boards, blocks, and many more. Yugi looked around aghast. "Where am I?" he wondered aloud. 

He picked his way across the floor until he reached the small wooden door. Yugi wrenched it open and stepped outside. Meeting his eyes was a long marble hall, like those in the palace, but it had only one door. The door was large and intricately carved of red wood, with a black iron handle and the eye of Horus in the center. Yugi gulped, took a deep breath, and pushed it open.

It was dark inside, and cold, but with the door left open there was enough light to see by. Yugi gaped, staring at the room before him. The walls were made of huge bricks, and twisting in and around the walls were steps and hallways of various array. But always scattered here and there was a large door, some upside down, some sideways.

"Shinjirarenai[1]!" Yugi exclaimed, bright eyes shining with wonder.

"WHERE IN RA'S NAME AM I?!" a voice suddenly thundered through the room. Yugi jumped and slapped his hands over his ears, but still the voice poured through. "WHAT IS THIS!?" it roared again.

"Konnichi wa[2]?" Yugi called out anxiously. "Is anyone there?"

"Nani?[3]" came the reply, but there was no more.

It was silent, the only sound issuing from the chamber was the sound of Yugi's own breathing and just when he was starting to think he had imagined the voice, in front of him, a figure began to materialize out of thin air. Yugi stared in disbelief and horror. The white figure of the pharaoh stood before him, fury radiating from the very core of his being.

Yami stepped forward stooping down until his nose was almost touching Yugi's. "What did you do?" he hissed.

Yugi took a step back. "You think I did this?" he asked incredulously.

Yami smirked. 'Does he think I'm stupid?' he thought to himself.

"DOES HE THINK I'M STUPID!?" his voice rang through the room. Yami spun around. 'what is this place?' 

"WHAT IS THIS PLACE?"

Yugi stared around the room looking for the source of the noise. 'But,' he thought, 'it's Yami's voice…' and as he thought the words, he almost thought he heard an echo coming back to him. "Yami," Yugi whispered, "I swear, I didn't do anything that would harm either you or Keturah. I would die before doing that."

Yami sneered. "Already you pledge me your life little fool?"

Yugi nodded. "You two pulled me out of a growing pit of troubles in my life, lifted me above them, and made me feel whole again," he said quietly. "Like I haven't felt since before my family was killed."

"I don't buy your tricks," the voice rang through the room once more.

"WOULD YOU STOP VOICING MY THOUGHTS!?" Yami roared into the twisting passageways.

Yugi gasped.

"What?" Yami growled. 

"I think I've just figured out what this place is!" He stared around excitedly. "It's the inside of our mind!"

Yami snorted, but considered his words. 'If it voices my thoughts it makes sense that this would be my mind," he mused, and once more heard his own voice rumble through the chamber. Yami growled forgetting his momentary neutral feelings toward the boy, as the old anger rushed back this time accompanied by a new wave of fury at having the brat listening to his thoughts. "If this is my mind," he said softly, "THEN GET OUT!" And he picked Yugi up and threw him form the room, the heavy door slamming shut and a ringing vibration going through the air.

Outside the door, Yugi pulled himself to his feet, rubbing his shoulder where he had hit the wall upon his exit. The small boy reentered his soul room and pulled the small door closed, and overwhelming urge to cry blossoming inside his chest. He sank down onto the floor and put his head in his hands. A shimmer of light flashed across his face, and Yugi looked up from his arms. Across the room, nestled in a corner, was a small gold box, glistening in the nonexistent sunlight. 

Yami leaned his head against the cold wall. What had happened? Those things, which he had once considered right and wrong, were now just one huge jumbled mess churning inside his head. 

"So Isis," Yami muttered. "What now?"

"_The darkness…"_ a voice whispered from the corner of the room.

Yami spun around. That voice had not been his. And then he saw it. Settled between two bricks not perfectly aligned, was a tiny golden box, glowing mysteriously, and covered with carved symbols. Yami stared at it. 'That was not there before,' he told himself firmly, listening to it ringing back in his own ears. But still, something about that little prism intrigued him, drew him closer, and as he reached out his hand, another small hand reached towards a similar box. 

'What is it?' the two minds thought simultaneously, and as their hands closed over the identical boxes, a great power was passed to each in turn, and in the highest chamber of the tallest palace tower, Isis opened her eyes.

"So it has begun."

[1] Japanese for "incredible"

[2] Japanese for "hello"

[3] Japanese for "what"

^-^ the first one I didn't have already written out! Is it good? I know it's short but it's Monday -_- (I hate Mondays) Any suggestions are welcome, and reviews are ALWAYS welcome! ^-^ so, please review!! Hope it meets the expectations of all previous readers!! This is for you guys! ^______^ (big grin!) 


	9. Golden Pieces

I brave the unknown to write an unwritten chapter!! Its very exciting ne? Should I put on a safari hat and stuff?? ^.~ 

elsiey: ^_^ hehe! The authoress is EVIL!! Haha! No, I am sorry to leave you hanging like that, but I was chased away from the computer by the results of Bakura having his hair dyed pink. (he was tearing apart the room!) Now I can call him cotton candy head! ^-^ btw I read Dragon Soul and….I LOVE IT! Yay! I also reviewed so now you get to be eternally grateful! ^___^ 

Destiny's Dragon: ahhh! Another faithful reviewer! Thank you!! I really will get around to posting the chocolate links! 

Nadia Kaiba-Elf Jedi: Well, it's Japanese because Yugioh is a Japanese show, I own a Japanese-English Dictionary, and I don't know _any _Egyptian! ^-^ Thanks for reviewing!! 

diablodude: Thanks for your review!!

Thank you for all the reviews! MWA, MWA! (those are kisses!)

Bakura: eeew! You got the computer screen all slobbery!

-_- well at least I don't run around and try to sleep with my hikari, pinky boy!

Bakura: O.O HEY! It's not pink! And that's other people's stories! I can't help what they write! AND you don't even have a hikari! 

So? You know you like it!

Bakura: -_-

I love being the authoress! All characters must obey ME! Haha! ^___^ 

Bakura: Your head's inflating again….

(smacks him with a math book)

Bakura: X_X

^-^ 

/../ or //…// is mind chat

'..' thinking

".." talking

Chapter 9

As his hand closed around the golden box, Yugi felt a strange warmth spread up into his arm. 

__

'Good luck, little one,' a voice whispered inside his head.

Yugi felt his body drop back into reality accompanied by identical sharp pains shooting through each knee. He looked into his hands, knowing what he would see and yet wondering how it had gotten there. The small golden box was clasped it his hands, the sun's dim rays dancing off it and shooting darting sunbursts across the walls. He glanced up, and saw Yami, similarly stunned, holding between his tanned hands, a golden prism seeming to be a mirror image of the one Yugi clutched in his own palms. Yugi straightened up, and stowed the box under his shirt. Only then did he become aware of the colossal amount of noise bouncing off and around the walls of the chamber. 

All those present in the hall had gotten to their feet, and had been staring with a curious anxiety at the pharaoh and the small boy at his feet. Neither one had moved since the magicians had clashed, and when the smaller of the two had risen up, it was a reason for great relief, but also for many questions to arise. Why had the two stood motionless for so long? Why had they seemed within a trance? How had the smaller boy survived the pharaoh's attack? All the questions zoomed throughout the room, but no one had any answers.

Yami looked down at the boy standing before him. He couldn't seem to remember anymore, Yugi the one he was furious with, but what exactly had happened?

Yugi felt a strange sense of confusion and bewilderment inside his mind, but it was not his own. /Yami?/

The pharaoh jumped internally, although he gave no visible sign that he had hear anything. But he knew that he had heard distinctly within the twisting chambers of his mind, the voice of the amethyst-eyed boy in front of him.

//How did you do that?//

Yugi winced. Yami's voice sounded harsh inside his head. /Gomen[1],/ Yugi apologized humbly. /I just had this strange feeling that told me I could speak with you…without words./

//Well I don't want to listen!// Yami replied, and abruptly shut off his end of the link.

/YAMI!/ Yugi cried, his own thoughts pounding on the massive portal to Yami's mind, trying and failing to breach the broad door blocking him from the pharaoh's mind. /I have to make you understand…!/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yugi huddled in the warmest corner of the dank room. No light entered the tight chamber, no breeze purified its stale air. The palace prisons were not exactly what you call accommodating. Yugi drew his knees up to his chest for warmth. Yami had not spoken to him since his attempt to speak with him through their newly developed mind link. In fact, he had swept out of the hall almost immediately, leaving the priest Seto to make the command for Yugi to be taken to the dungeon.

Trying to take his mind off the state of hopelessness that was threatening to devour him, Yugi pulled from within his tunic the golden box. Curiously, he opened the lid, and let out a gasp of amazement as he beheld its contents. Piled inside almost halfway to the top were small pieces of thick gold, all cut into strange shaped and patterns. Yugi pulled out one of the pieces, and it's soft shining light seemed to make the whole cell much less despicable than it had only a moment before. The small boy slowly picked up another piece and set it against the first.

*_click*_

Yugi felt a gleeful smile spread across his downcast face. 'Well,' he thought to himself, 'that's one piece down, a lot to go, and even more time to spare.'

Yami stood in front of the door leading to the chamber where he had left Keturah. He listened attentively but could hear not a single sound issuing from within. 'I can't put this off forever,' he told himself and reached out to open the door.

"Pharaoh!"

Yami looked to his left in the direction from where the familiar voice had sounded. The Dark Magician stood at his elbow, several inches above the ground, staff held ready.

"Be cautious when you enter," the magician warned. 

Yami nodded, and pulled the door open. Several things happened at once. From inside the room a small figure with golden hair leapt out, holding a colorful wand at Yami's throat, while pounding him with her other free hand. No sooner had this occurred than the Dark Magician had his own staff out, protecting his master with a determined expression set on his pale face, but laughter glinting in his eyes as he fended off his female partner.

Yami's eyes however, were watching not the two monsters, but the figure standing straight backed and proud in the doorway, eyes brimming with fury. "It makes me sick even to look at you," Keturah spat.

Yami was not worried, she had been like this when they had met. "The boy is alive," he said, his voice low, ringing with puzzlement.

Keturah clapped a hand to her mouth, eyes wide with relief, as her ka did likewise, relinquishing to the power of her male counterpart. "Thank the gods," she whispered, her face clearing as though a great burden had been lifted from her shoulders. "It still doesn't excuse that you tried to kill him," she said coldly, her back straight again. "I doubt he would be among the living now if it had been your choice."

"What you say is true," Yami said softly. "There is a great strength hidden within him, a power not easily glimpsed through his shroud of innocence. I could not destroy him, though my will was great."

Keturah brushed past him, flicking the end of her hair into his eyes as she went past. Yami did not stay to watch her go. Instead he marched into the room and lay the little box he held onto the bed, denting the flawless coverlet. He lifted the lid gently and saw beneath it many golden pieces. They looked as though they could have once been whole, and then whatever the object had been was smashed, breaking it into the strange shapes in the box. He placed every piece out in front of him and slowly began fitting the sections together. The golden glow growing steadier with every piece fitted together.

^-^ sorry that took me so long to put up, at least by my recent standards. Hope you're all still interested in the fic!!! Now really, I need you guys to tell me if you want Joey or Tea or anyone to show up and who you want the guy in the shadows to be. PLEASE tell me!! I'm lost in that aspect!! R&R! Thx! ^____^ 

Quick Chocolate Pecan Fudge This is a CHOCOLATE PICTURE!!! Go ahead, check it out and drool as much as you like!! ^-^ it's on Godiva's page so there's lots of other yummy stuff there too!! Free chocolate for all my reviewers!! Thank you!!   



	10. Magic in the Dark

Tralala! Starting this tonight!! Hopefully I'll be able to finish it!!

SoulDreamer: *beams* thank you!! *hugs computer* you guys make me feel so special!! ^___^ 

Nadia Kaiba-Elf Jedi: Thx for the review! Here's the chapter!! ^-^

Destiny's Dragon: glad you like! Good luck with the torturing!!

Hutchy: umm….did you actually expect me to tell you?? lol! You have to keep reading! ^-^

In the last chap, I forgot the translation for gomen! Sorry!!! Any ways, gomen means sorry!! ^-^

Chapter 10 (we've reached the double digits!)

Beneath the palace floors, Yugi sat crouched on a cold floor, oblivious to his surroundings, attention completely devoted to the sparkling object in his hands. The little box was next to him, nearly empty. Yugi pulled the last piece from the box, and slipped it into place. He sat back to look at what the pieces formed. 

It was flat on the sides, with sharp edges, and a ring at the top, but not complete. The pieces of Yugi's box seemed to only make part of the object. It appeared to be half of a flipped pyramid, made of shining golden bricks.

(AHHHHHHHHAHHHHHHHHH!! Writers block!! I know what I want to happen but HOW!? Hang on, I have to go get some chocolate to restore the brain power….ok, hmmm….*crunch crunch* ^-^)

Yugi pulled one of the drawstrings from the bottom of his pant leg out, and tied it securely to the ring on the top of the puzzle. He slipped it over his head, the cool metal beating against his small chest. (yes, he does have a shirt on even though it sounds like he doesn't)

Yugi lay back against the wall and listened to the distant dripping of the scarce water trapped below the sand. Then he heard another sound, alien to the quiet cell. It was the sound of footsteps on the stairs. He stood up, the tips of his pointy hair brushing the stone ceiling. As he watched the steps, and from above, a pair of feet wearing dark sandals appeared, followed by Keturah's face, both anxious and relieved.

"Yugi!" she exclaimed, stooping to avoid crashing her head into the ceiling. "I'm so glad I found you! Are you alright?"

Yugi smiled and nodded, happy to once again have human company. "It's not as bad as it looks," he told her shrugging. "There's no sun beating down and burning you into a brown crisp," he said cheerfully.

"Your very optimistic," she said, eyes twinkling. "Yugi, what is that?" she inquired, pointing at the puzzle around his neck.

Yugi fingered it delicately. "I'm not quite sure myself," he said. "I found it in my soul room."

"What?"

"When the Dark Magician attacked me, and Maha Vailo took the blow, I was sort of thrown into this place that exists within our subconscious selves," he explained. Yugi went on to tell how he had found the door to Yami's mind and after being thrown out had found the golden box in his own room. "It was just sitting there, as if it were waiting, just for me." The small boy smiled as he looked down at the golden object between his hands.

"But you haven't finished it," Keturah noted.

"I used all the pieces in my box," Yugi told her defensively. "The other half must be out there somewhere, I just have to find it! Which is a little difficult when you're in a room you can walk around in twelve steps…"

Keturah grinned. "As to that," she said slyly drawing something from beneath her robes, "I think these might come in handy." Clasped in her brown hand, was a large ring laden with keys. 

Yugi's eyes nearly popped from their sockets. "How did you get those?" he breathed.

"I have some magic of my own Yugi," she replied, not fully answering. Before he could interrogate her further, she pulled from the mass of keys a small iron one, and fitted it into the lock on the cell door. It swung open, but not without letting out a huge squeak, making both of them wince as Yugi leapt through the opening. "Alright," she said replacing the keys once more within the folds of her clothing. "Let's go." She placed her foot on the lowest step, but just as Yugi was about to follow, he heard again, the sound of footsteps, only this time, it was more than one pair of feet.

Yugi paled, backing up away from the stairs. Keturah's eyes peered upward to the source of the sound. She whirled around and grabbed Yugi by the arm. "Come here," she whispered, and pulled him into the corner by the wall. The footsteps were growing louder, and now the sounds of voices reached their ears.

"That's right," said one, "He's to be brought straight up, no delay."

Yugi clutched desperately at the wall, but there was no escaping. They were boxed in. 

"Yugi," Keturah hissed in his ear, "Don't worry." She closed her eyes, and at her side, materialized the Dark Magician Girl. Yugi smiled, his worries momentarily forgotten as he looked happily at the monster before him. The magician raise her wand, spinning it to her right as a stream of silver poured forth, and wrapped itself around the two figures huddled in the corner. 

Everything was dark for a moment, but then sunlight brighter than any Yugi had seen for a time, poured from the sky, trying to seep beneath their squinting eyelids. Yugi blinked, his eyes adjusting to the bright light and was amazed to see around him not the gray walls of the dungeon, but a street full of busy merchants and shoppers, all bustling about and jostling one another as they hurried toward the stalls. He looked up at Keturah and the Dark Magician Girl in amazement. The Magician Girl put her wand over her shoulder, winked, and disappeared. 

"H-h-how?" Yugi stammered.

Keturah grinned at him and winked, copying her ka's response. Then she tossed Yugi a small brown cloak, already carrying grains of sand. "Put it on," she said eyes scanning the street. "You attract to much attention with that hair." 

Yugi slipped the cloak over his head, pulling the hood up to further shield his features. Keturah gave him one last reassuring smile, before turning and heading quickly but discretely back to the palace gates, with Yugi darting after her.

And now it is 6 and I have to get off so the rest of the fam can use the computer. -_- I have to save up to buy my own. $_$ Does anyone want any of Yugi/Yami's _present day _friends in this story? Cause if you don't I'm just going to leave them out! R&R please! ^-^


	11. True Memory

Ok, so you guys know, I won't be putting joey/jounouchi, tea/anzu, or tristan/honda in this story because no one besides Hutchy seemed to care and she didn't want them. ^_^ 

elsiey: Chopin Season is awesome as usual! Thanks for reading!!! ^-^ 

Destiny's Dragon: Thanks for the opinion on Yugi's friends! For Yami's torture you should use….A TOWEL! Give him rat tails! OW!! ^-^

Hutchy: Thank you so much for answering about the friends!! *flushes picture of "the gang" down toilet" haha!! Thx for the review! ^____^ 

Nadia Kaiba-Elf Jedi: I'm glad you think so!! Hope you like the next chap!!

Chapter 11 (I don't have any comments about the chapter number today. Sad. lol!)

Yami stood behind the throne, arms resting on the back tapping his foot against the marble floor. What was taking so long? He had sent the guards down to get Yugi nearly half an hour ago. He lifted a shining object off the seat of the throne. It was made of golden block pieced together to form half an upside down pyramid. Yami wondered at the significance of the object, and the box in which it came. He thought back to when he had come back to reality from his soul room, and vaguely recalled seeing two small hands slip a similar gold box beneath a pale green tunic. 

Feeling quite exasperated and impatient, Yami marched out of the room in search of the guards and the amethyst eyed boy. It wasn't as though they could just disappear…

Yugi scampered after Keturah, the dust grating against his face as they crept closer to the palace. His small feet were burning from the intense heat of the sand that had been baking in the hot Egyptian sun, causing him to wince with each step. When they reached the gates, Keturah put a finger to her lips, pointing to a pair of guards at the entrance. Yugi nodded, wondering how they could get by with out being noticed. 

"Up that way," Keturah whispered in his ear, pointing to a vine covered trellis against the side wall. 

Yugi clambered up it, his aching feet grateful to be on something other than sand. Keturah climbed gracefully up after him, landing silently on the flat roof. She motioned for him to follow before sweeping off down a narrow hallway, her cloak blowing in the wind. As they came to the end of a particularly long passageway, Keturah skidded to a halt right at the end, causing Yugi to run smack into her back. Rubbing his nose he pulled back and peered around her to see what was causing the hold up. His stomached did a summersault as he saw the familiar silhouette of the pharaoh sweeping down the hall. Yugi and Keturah pressed themselves as close as possible to the wall, hoping against hope that he would just keep walking. As he reached the door, Yami paused, and turned his head, eyes sweeping around the room behind him. Yugi could have sworn they lingered on their hiding place for a moment, but Yami turned, and left the chamber without any sign of witnessing their presence. 

"Follow me," Keturah whispered urgently, tugging on Yugi's arm.

They ran down twisting halls and countless doors, so many that by the time they came to a halt, Yugi's head was spinning. He put his hands on his knees and bent over, trying to catch his breath.

"Where are we?" he gasped.

Keturah glanced warily over her shoulder. "Yugi," she explained, "this place is sacred. It is not as secret and secluded as I would have liked, but in a palace that is always swarming with servants, there are no unattended rooms or corners. People may see you here but if they do realize who you are, they cannot touch you unless you consent to their wishes."

Yugi lifted his head and looked up at the room in which they stood. He gazed upon the room with rapt fascination radiating from his violet eyes. In the center of the room stood a great statue of a mighty dragon, so lifelike in its appearance that he almost shrunk back in fear. "It seems familiar…," he said softly. 

"It should," Keturah said, her voice suddenly strong and cold. "It is Osiris, god of the sky. He came with the Dark Magician and the pharaoh's will to bring you back from the desert."

Yugi's eyes widened as he recalled the red scales, the black talons, and the earsplitting roar that had issued from the dragon's mouth. He looked to the base of the statue and saw several lotus blossoms and plates of incense. "This is not a safe place for me," he said, realizing how many people must come to the temple every day. 

"It is as safe as I can give you," she replied. Placing her hands on Yugi's shoulders, she met his amethyst eyes with her own mahogany ones. "Yugi," she said, and for the first time her voice wavered. "Just promise me you won't leave here unless you absolutely have to. If something were to happen…" She broke off and Yugi was surprised to see a tear trickling from her eye as she clasped a hand to her mouth. This was the same person who had stood up to Yami's wrath, lasted through the trials of the desert and poverty, and cared enough for him that the thought of him being in danger made her weep even when none of the others had.

"I promise," he whispered.

She smiled, wiping the tears off her cheeks. "I have to go before they realize I'm missing," she said straightening up. "I'll see you again soon Yugi, that is my promise." She turned to go. "One more thing," she said over her shoulder. "Keep a firm hold on that puzzle."

Yugi watched her go until she turned down another passageway and disappeared. He walked around the statue to the back and sat down behind it. A soft comforting glow came from the puzzle, and its presence made him feel sure that somehow, everything would be all right.

Yami walked through the palace quickly, intent on finding what had happened to the guards he had sent to bring Yugi. As he strode towards the door of a particularly open chamber, he thought he saw a flash of gold out of the corner of his eye. He stopped, and looked behind him for the source of the glow. He scanned the room quickly, and behind a corner on his left, he saw swinging out of sight, a brown cloak, attempting and failing to conceal the tips of some oddly familiar hair. 

'This is becoming interesting," Yami thought to himself, and he walked quickly out the way he had originally been heading. He stood silently outside the door for several moments before returning to the chamber behind him. He turned sharply and marched quickly but silently down the hall, hearing the distant sound of feet slapping hurriedly against the floor. Yami followed the noise until it came to a halt. Looking around, he found himself standing where only hours before he had been at sunrise, the temple of Osiris. As he looked up at the great dragon, his attention was directed to the two figures beneath it. Both were hooded and cloaked, but he had no doubt in his mind as to who they were. As the taller of the two departed, Yami felt a strange emotion in the back of his mind, and felt himself once again being pulled into his soul. 

Standing inside the labyrinth of his mind, Yami sensed that elusive feeling once again. He swept over to the door and pulled it open. Outside was a narrow hallway, and directly across was a small room, its door wide open. Yami stepped over the threshold carefully, and was suddenly bombarded by a soft echoing of many voices ringing in his ears. As he listened, Yami came to realize that all the things being said were by the same voice…Yugi's voice. 

"What happens now?…How do I…If someone comes and finds me…What if someone finds out she helped me?…I can't stay in hiding forever…Why did I find this puzzle?…Who am I?……..Osiris, what happens now?…"

Yami stood motionless as Yugi's mind poured out its thoughts and troubles until by a sudden impulse, he searched among the tremendous amount of thoughts filtering throughout the room, until he found the one that held a real significance to him. It was a memory, one that had taken place not long ago. As Yami submersed his mind into the memory, flashes of the day and night flicked past on the insides of his eyes. Keturah's ace, a cloaked man, a great dragon, and a pair of red eyes, cold and deadly…. When Yami opened his eyes, and deep painful feeling was seeping through his chest. As he looked back again at the small figure at the base of the statue, tears filled his eyes and a terrible guilt filled his heart.

"How could I have been so wrong?"

Well, hope you like!! I was babysitting last night and had about 2 hours and did some major story brainstorming. But I'm going to finish this one before I start those, so it might be a while. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR READING!! NOW REVIEW! ^-^ luv ya! Ente


	12. So It Shall Be Written

Ooh lala!! I'm really happy! I just read all these feel-good stories and left crazy reviews, so now I'm going to try to mellow out and write some of this depression confession, tragedy, you know, the usual. ^-^

THANK YOU TO:

Nadia Kaiba-Elf Jedi: A review within practically the first hour it was posted! YAAY! I like the smiley! ^___^

Hutchy: Thx! Keep going with your fics! They rock! 

elsiey: omg! Thank you so much! *grin* It had better snow tonight so I can spend all day reading! (looks outside) -_- of course it's NOT! *sniff* 

Destiny's Dragon: glad to be of service! ^-^ YAY!! 

And to Darkpixie4 for putting me on your favorites! (but for some strange reason didn't review…? Oh well, thx anyway! ^-^)

Chapter 12 (hmm…# of eggs in a carton! lol!)

Yugi sat beneath the tall stone dragon, rays of sun dancing off the puzzle, sending flashes of golden light across the chamber. As he sat there, he thought for a moment that he felt something below his conscious awareness, almost like a draft within his mind, but he ignored it, deciding instead to enjoy the landscape before him. The temple had huge uncovered windows, making it easy to gaze out over the country. The Nile flowed steadily, small boats moving across it like lilies blowing on the surface of a pond. The number of people on the roads was dwindling, but still a fair amount hurried through the streets. The soft sigh of the wind invited sleep, and tugged on Yugi's eyelids as he struggled to stay awake. 'I hate always being taken by surprise,' he thought, his eyes drooping.

There was a soft but insistent tap on his shoulder. "AHHHH!" Yugi jumped, and turned around, what he saw making his blood freeze. Next to him, crouched down on the ground, was Yami, but this was not the one Yugi had grown to fear and pity. This was the Yami who had helped Yugi in the palace, the one he had known before the night in the desert. Yugi pulled his arm away from Yami's touch carefully, his muscles tensed, ready to flee. "What are you doing?" he asked softly, suspicion lacing his words.

Yami lowered his eyes. "Yugi," he murmured, "Gomen nasai[1]. For everything."

Yugi looked at the man before him. After everything he had said and done he had come back to apologize? It was too strange to comprehend. "Why the sudden change of mind?" he asked, a slight chill in his words.

Yami looked back up, his eyes brimming with regret. "Yugi," he said, "I saw what happened, and I can give no better explanation through words than that."

And Yugi understood. The feeling in the back of his mind had been Yami entering his soul room and finding his memory of the night Keturah had been kidnapped. "Why wouldn't you believe me before?" he asked, unable to keep the hurt from sounding in his voice.

Yami almost winced at the pain coming from the pair of amethyst orbs in front of him. "I am sorry," he said again. "I am quick to anger but slow to forgive. When you both disappeared I couldn't think straight, so I jumped to conclusions. And once I decide something is true in my mind, it is hard to change that opinion."

"I understand," said Yugi softly. "I forgive things easily, even when they are as harsh as this. That may be my weakness," he said, almost to himself. Glancing up, something in Yami's hands caught his eye. "Yami," he said, all thoughts that he had tried to kill him evaporating, "that's the other half of the puzzle!" Yugi lifted his own up to show him. Yami looked between the two halves. 

"Should we put them together?" he asked.

"I don't see why not," said Yugi, bouncing up and down excitedly. Each one took their half of the puzzle in their hand, and slowly pushed it toward the other until they met with a soft click. Yugi blinked. "Nothing happened!" he said disappointedly. Yami took the puzzle and turned it around until the front faced him, and then he saw what was wrong. 

"Yugi," he said. "Look at this." He pointed to a side of the pyramid, and in the center was a hole, the shape of an upside down pyramid with extra points coming from two of the sides, and two identical prongs from the top. "Did you use all the pieces?" Yami asked curiously.

Yugi nodded, confusion written all over his small face. "Did you?"

"Of course!" Yami replied, as though for him to do such a thing was outrageous. The two sat together on the floor of the temple each silently going through his own musings. After several moments Yami got to his feet. "Come with me," he said, and left the temple.

Yugi got to his feet carefully. What if Yami was just trying to lure him out of the protection of the temple? 'I'll risk it,' Yugi thought to himself, and stepped out into the open hall.

When they reached the main part of the palace, Yami pulled a boy in a blue runner's uniform aside. "Find High Priest Seto and tell him I require his audience in the throne room," he said quickly. The boy nodded, clearly startled at being addressed by the pharaoh personally. No sooner had he run off, than Yami was moving again, this time in the direction of the throne room. When they reached it, Yami climbed the few steps to the raised podium and sank into his throne. Yugi stood awkwardly on the lower level, unsure of what to do with himself. Yami glanced up and noticed him still standing uncomfortably. 

"Well come sit down," he said, a trace of laughter in his voice as he gestured to some cushions on the floor.

As Yugi settled himself on the ground, the High Priest Seto swept into the hall, bowing at Yami's feet. "You called for me pharaoh?" he asked, his blue eyes flicking to the boy on the ground. "You caught the traitor then? Shall I call the executioner." He turned to the slaves standing at the door.

"That will not be necessary," Yami cut in. Seto turned back from the door his eyes wide.

"Not necessary?" he repeated.

Yami sighed. "This is difficult for me to say," he said, "even to you, but I was mistaken about the boy."

Seto's jaw dropped, his aloof image with it. "Pharaoh," he said, recovering from the surprise, "how can you be sure?"

"I saw Yugi's memory of the night they disappeared," Yami explained, "there is no proof more trustworthy that I can tell."

Seto began to reply but was cut off by the loud clatter of another person entering the room. Yugi's face broke into a wide grin as he saw Keturah's disheveled form spring through the doorway. After surveying the three men before her, and realizing the situation, her brown face mirrored Yugi's. She walked up to Yami and put her arm over his shoulder and kissed him on the cheek. He looked up at her startled that she could forgive him so quickly. "You found the truth," she said smiling. "And you believed it."

Seto rolled his eyes, but concealed it well, turning his face as though the sun was bothering him. Yami stood up from the throne, his power wrapped around him like a cloak. "I am the morning star," he said, his deep voice ringing through the room. "Witnessed by those before me, I hereby pardon those crimes to which this boy stands accused, wiping clean the slate of his life, and may there be no more strife between us. So it shall be written, so it shall be done." The sun lit the room, illuminating the four figures within it. Yami looked up behind him at Keturah. "It was not good of you to run off as you did," he scolded, but his eyes laughed. She only shook her head, he clear laugh ringing out, proclaiming the day's joy. 

Keenen marched into the room. Upon seeing Yugi he stopped pointing at the small boy. "He-he…?"

Seto looked at Yami exasperatedly. "I'll explain then shall I?" he asked before grabbing the advisor by the arm and dragging him from the room.

"Yugi," Keturah said, drawing the attention away from the two departing figures, "Our wedding is in three days. I have already asked you to attend and you excepted, but I think we need to find you some decent things to wear."

Yugi beamed at her. "I'd like that very much!" he said springing to his feet. As they laughed, a final figure entered the room, shrouded in a pale cream gown. 

"Isis!" Yami exclaimed, starting toward her.

She held up a hand, and opened her eyes. "My Pharaoh," she said speaking softly. "You have passed the first trial, but now another approaches, one more trying and terrible than any before, and this one will claim one of you forever."

[1] Gomen nasai= I'm (terribly) sorry in Japanese of course!

Oh I am EVIL! ^_^ I'll try to get chapter 13 up before the weekend so I can do 14 over it. I'm a slave driver to myself. @_@ lol! Hope you like this addition, R&R plz! I'll sing to whoever leaves the 30th! ^__________^ bye! ~Ente 


	13. Three Candles

Solo-girl: Thanks for the review! Honesty I don't mind the "flames." ^-^ They're actually kind of helpful. Unfortunately I am not the proud owner of an Egyptian dictionary, so I have to settle for Japanese. ^-^ sorry that it's not correct but since Yugioh is originally Japanese, the only foreign words will be in…JAPANESE (actually I added 1 Egyptian word for you just because I'm nice!!) But if the Japanese words bother you I'll try to cut down on how often I use them. And about the loooooong day thing, sorry again, I lose track of when I make the days begin and end. I'm glad you approve some of the stuff, Yami is really excellent in your story!! You must be at least partially sane to be able to write that! ^-^ 

elsiey: ^___^ checked Dragon Soul, cool as usual. Now, take a deep breath…*inhale, exhale* ok, now that you're calm and wont have a heart attack, go read the next chapter!

Nadia Kaiba-Elf Jedi: ahh, what I do for my reviewers. jk jk! Your story's awesome!! Hope you enjoy the next chapter! (I think I gave to much away with the poem, I can't put you guys in enough suspense! T_T poor me!) 

Destiny's Dragon: NO! now I can't recommend punishments anymore! *sob* oh well, I'll introduce new victims never fear!! BWAHAHA! ^-^ and you left the 30th review! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! HALLELUJAH! (glass beaks) um…ok I think that's enough singing for now! ^-^

Anyway, thanks you guys!!! *throws giant Hershey kisses out*

(just warning there's a little violence in this chap)

Chapter 13 (there's a Friday the 13th this year, March I think…)

Yami and Keturah watched Yugi jumping up and down in front of the mirror in delight. He was attired in a deep green tunic with crisp off-white pants and with every leap his crown of hair would flip up to hit him in the eyes. Watching the smaller boy, Yami found his thoughts sliding back, to Isis's warning, nearly three days before. As he looked at the two people standing with him, it wrenched at his heart that he would never see one of them, or both, unless the prophecy could be undone. Keturah draped her arm around his shoulders drawing him back from his troubles.

"I think we have just taken a little peasant and turned him into a prince!" she told him, laughing at Yugi who was still prancing about the room admiring his new clothes. 

Yami laughed with her. "I do believe you are correct," he said kissing her on the forehead. 

"Pharaoh?" a deep voice questioned from the door. Yami turned and saw Seto standing there expectantly. "The boy has to come with me until the festivities begin." The pharaoh nodded, and Yugi practically leapt through the room to where the priest waited. 

"This is so exciting!" he exclaimed trotting after him. "I've never been part of a royal wedding before!"

Yami laughed. 

(Hey guys! If you're wondering why there isn't a description of them actually marrying each other it's because I did some research (for once) on Egyptian weddings, and apparently there's no real ceremony just a lot of PARTYING! So the next scene is after they're officially married ^-^)

Keturah smiled as she spun out into the middle of the room, her silken dress swirling around her ankles. The music of the drums and lute danced across her ears, urging her out onto the floor. "Come on!" she cried over the music, pulling Yami out of his seat. Yami grinned at her eager anticipation, allowing her to pull him to his feet and drag him out to the center of the chamber. 

"What am I going to do with you _hemet_[1]?" he whispered softly in her ear. Keturah made no reply, only moved around him, her hips swaying to the music's rhythm. Guests watched the pharaoh and his new wife contentedly while feasting and drinking rich wine, or dancing themselves. They danced, and twirled, the colors swirling through the air, music never wavering, like a silken ribbon flying from the instruments. Keturah spun around again, her hair streaming out behind her like a banner, he skin glistening in the evening air, golden from the sun's last rays. As the song ended, Yami felt a light tap on his shoulder and turned to see Yugi grinning up at him. 

"Can I try?" Yugi asked, his eyes shining brightly.

Yami surrendered his position on the dance floor, and strode back to his seat upon the throne. He watched with amusement, as Yugi had to leap out of the way several times to avoid being trodden on. 

Suddenly the music stopped for a second time, but not in the usual way with a finale of drums and cymbals or softly going out, this time it was abrupt and unexpected. As Yami stood up, glaring at the musicians for stopping, an icy wind roared through the chamber, putting out every candle…except for three. Not a single person moved, and silence swamped the hall as though daring someone to break it. Yami peered through the cloak of darkness, eyes darting to two figures in the center of the room before scanning elsewhere. Then, through the quiet, a soft sound was heard.

__

Slap…slap… slap…slap

From the gloom surrounding the entranceway, a figure rose, shrouded in a dark cloak. The people filling the room drew back as this mysterious shape swept past them. It came to a stop before Yami and threw the hood from its head. A mass of snowy hair was released, and from the midst, two dark eyes glared up at the red eyed man upon the dais. 

"Prince-sama," he called mockingly. "We meet at last."

"Who are _you_?" Yami asked loudly, his voice ringing through the room. The man smirked. 

"He is a tomb robber by the name of Bakura," Seto called, striding across the room to stand beside Yami. "Get out of here thief!" he hissed. "Unless you want your head upon the wall!"

Bakura laughed. "I think you'll find the result will be quite the opposite," he said ominously. "Come out, DIABUND!" A great roar filled the hall, and from the wall a huge shape arose, its form blocking out the stars.

Yami craned his neck to see the enormous monster hulking in the chamber. Its eyes glowed through the darkness, two pinpricks of corruption. Then from the dark, six orbs of glowing golden light answered the monster, as the five priests and the pharaoh answered his challenge.

"Everyone get out!" Yami yelled as the creatures began to materialize. There was a great flood of people stampeding from the room, scattering into the corners of the city. Yami placed his hands on either side of the puzzle, and called from deep within his soul, the power that lay waiting. The stars shook in the sky as the light poured down, and from the air around him came a great creature, as huge as Bakura's own. "Bow to god Bakura," Yami called. "Bow to Obelisk!" The five monsters of the priests stood with the god Obelisk against Bakura's single ka. However the tomb robber was far from worried. As the god's immense fist streaked towards his ka, Diabund suddenly disappeared. Bakura laughed darkly. 

"Don't think it will be that easy to defeat me! My spirit beast has the unique ability to hide within the walls! Be wary pharaoh, he could be lurking beneath your very feet!" Yami stepped back uncertainly, suddenly wary. "Diabund, ATTACK!" The creature sprang from the wall behind Yami heading directly for Obelisk. 

"Obelisk, crush Diabund and Bakura!" Yami roared. Obelisk pulled back his giant fist and drove it towards the opposing monster with a tremendous force. Just as the god was about to make contact, Diabund once again vanished. Bakura laughed darkly. "Your God is no match for my creature! He can absorb the attack and learn to use it against you!" his laughter beat against the ceiling, echoing through the halls. "BOW TO MY BEAST PHARAOH!" 

At his words Diabund rose up, its huge fist crashing upon the priests kas and spirit beasts. Puzzle, eye, rod, necklace, key, and scales stood together in a desperate struggle for survival. Yami watched in horror as Diabund crushed the kas of the priests one by one. Isis…Shadi…they all crumpled to the floor, unable to go on with the battle. Soon Seto and Yami stood alone before the unmatched wrath of Bakura. "Die pharaoh's priest!" Bakura shouted, and Yami saw Seto's ka shatter as Diabund struck him, and watched his friend fall limply to the floor, his soul exhausted. 

"Bakura!" Yami shouted through the room, the air thick with the sounds of pain and the smell of blood. "Why do you seek to destroy me?"

"Prince-sama," the tomb robber laughed, "Your father was the gave birth to the millennium items, but in order to create them, he sacrificed a village of people, MY PEOPLE!" Bakura's voice harshened as he continued. "His soldiers massacred my family, and so I shall do to you!"

Yami spun around from the battle between the two monsters and what he saw made his breath leave his chest. Bakura was standing triumphantly in the center of the room, and pinned in his arms, was a figure with long black hair, and brown eyes, full of fear and defiance as they stared at the tomb robber with loathing. And at her throat, Bakura held a long jagged knife. The blood drained from Yami's face. "Keturah!" he breathed. The Black Magician Girl was cornered by another monster, unable to aid her mistress. 

At Bakura's feet was a small figure with spiky black hair, a bruise forming on the small face. "Yugi!" A wave of panic coursed through Yami as he looked at the boy fearing he was dead, but then he noticed the shallow movement of his breathing. Yami locked his eyes back on to the man holding Keturah. 

"Baukura," he growled, his voice dripping with hate "Release her, or I will not be responsible for the consequences."

The tomb robber said nothing only stared at the pharaoh. "No you see," he said, "You have torn apart my heart and I will make you suffer in the same way." He spoke so softly it was little more than a whisper, but Yami heard him. "Feel my pain pharaoh."

As Keturah met Yami's eyes tears spilled out of them as she looked at him for the last time. "Aishiteru[2]," she whispered.

Yami started towards her, but his legs were not quick enough. Bakura smiled evilly, and drew the blade across her throat. The thief released her and she crumpled into a lifeless heap. When Yami reached her he seized her thin body and pulled her over to face him. "Koi," he whispered, his voice breaking. Keturah's eyes fluttered and her eyes focused for a moment on his face. She smiled weakly, blood staining her throat. 

"Yami," she murmured softly, her last breath leaving her lips.

The pharaoh sat on the ground, his love's body in his arms, unwilling to accept the fact that her soul had left it. As he realized the truth his proud head fell, brow resting against her pale face. Tears streamed from his red eyes, falling onto the still form he held tightly determined to hold on forever. 

And as one of the three candle flames still burning died, through the impenetrable night a new star burned, clear through the darkness, its light falling on the two similar figures upon the marble floor.

[1]_Hemet_-wife in Egyptian (for Solo_girl!!!)

[2] "I love you" in…none other than Japanese!

*sniff* I'm depressing myself. So, I shall look at this chapter's positive aspects. It _was_ really long, but I don't know if that counts as a good thing. Other than that…um…^-^ Hope it meets your expectations at least! I promise I'll do the next chapter as soon as possible! R&R please! ^.~ ~Ente


	14. Magician's Choice

Hey guys! Sorry it took my so long to update, we got a new computer (YAY!) but didn't have it hooked up to the internet, but it was in my room so I typed this on the new one. But then the father decides there's something wrong and has to dismantle the whole thing so I have to copy this onto a disk and then transfer it to the old computer. ARGH!! The trauma. ^__^ but it's here now so I hope everyone enjoys! 

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I LOOOOVE you guys! ^-^ 

elsiey: Ok, the three candles. When Diabund comes in, all the candles in the room go out, except three, symbolizing Yami, Yugi, and Keturah. Then when she dies, her candle is snuffed out. Yeah I know it's kind of lame but, there you are.

Solo_girl: I'm so glad you reviewed again! I hate it when people review once and then never again when they say the story is great and you need to update ect ect. -_- but you didn't do that so thank you! ^-^ Now I know you think last chap was cool, but don't kill me for what happens in the next chaps k? This was the story line from the beginning so I'm trying to stick with it. 

Hutchy: I know, I am quite mean. I might have to just kill everyone off. ^-^ No, don't worry I wont! I'll leave a little gopher alive never fear! ^__^

DarkPixie4: YAY! You reviewed! Thank you! And for putting me on your favs too! That was awesome! I feel so special! *sniff* Thanks for the correction about the _hemet _thing. My Egyptian is…ehem, a tad rusty. ^-^

Nadia Kaiba-Elf Jedi: YAY! I know the last chapter was a little dismal but I'm glad you're still interested! ^-^ Thank you so much for reviewing! It means a lot! 

Link-Roy-Marth-lover: I'm so glad you like it! ^-^ enjoy the last chapters! *sniff* I'd better shut up before I break down. Btw, keep going on the Apart songs! They are so good! ^_^

Pokegirl: Yes, I know. It's very depressing. Just for clarification, Keturah dies because that is my lovely plot line, way back from the lonely month of December when I wrote this in the car on the way to Philadelphia so…that is why she dies. ^-^ But Yami's sister!? *raises eyebrow* What is that about? *scans story* Do I ever imply anything about siblings? I'm confused. Oh well, I'm still glad you reviewed and are enjoying the story!

Destiny's Dragon: HAHA! KILL HIM! *rubs hands* yes, another victim!

Bakura: Why do you encourage my being beaten?

Umm….cause it's fun? 

Bakura: And why am I the villain in this story? You can at least tell it as it is! I'm the "good guy!" Baka pharaoh, why is he always the hero?

Hm, I dunno. He's just so much more appealing than you. ^-^ 

Bakura: grrrr .

Oh, how's your hair? What, 5 chapters later and it's still pink! You SUCKER! HAHA!

Erm…yes well anyway, onto the FIC! ^-^

Chapter 14 (My age! ^-^)

Yugi lay on the ground, eyes squeezed shut, as his body slowly began to revive itself from the blow Bakura had given him. As he came fully into consciousness, he felt inside his chest a sudden pain, deep and wrenching, as though it was tearing away a piece of his very soul. His amethyst eyes popped open, his cheek pressed against the cold floor only to have his eyes take in the true horror of what lay to meet them. Several inches from his face lay Keturah, but she no longer stood proudly, defiant. Her body was motionless, skin pale, and hunched over her was another figure. Yugi looked closely at the man bending over the body, unable to fully realize what had taken place over the duration of time he had been unconscious. As Yugi looked on, the man raised his head, his eyes coming up to meet Yugi's. The boy let out a gasp and reflexively backed away from him. It was Yami, but it seemed as though he no longer existed in anything but body. The crimson eyes once fiery with passion were now dull, ghostly. Yugi peered into the scarlet depths, searching within them for the person he had come to except as family, a separate part of him, as close as blood and closer. 

"Yami," the boy called softly, "Where are you?" Something within the red depths stirred in recognition of the voice, but the pain in those eyes swamped it again, burying the person within them. 

'_Gone, lifeless, pale. She's gone, forever….'_

"Yami!" Yugi cried desperately, shaking his friend in an effort to snap him from the trance in which he was held. "Come back! I need you here! _I need_ _you_!" The pharaoh made no move that he even knew there was another living creature in his presence. Yugi looked on at the two before him, the one empty, her spirit flown from their world, and the other… The boy pressed his hands against his eyes trying to block out the truth. In such a short space of time how could so much have changed? Yugi reflexively pressed the puzzle, the sharp corner biting into his palm, but as he did his half and Yami's glowed in unison as though to reassure him that although Yami's mind was imprisoned deep in shock, his heart was still there. 

"Taste it pharaoh," Bakura called. "Feel the pain as it devours your heart! Now watch me as I tear it out!" Yugi placed his half of the puzzle in Yami's hands, praying that somehow it would restore him to normal. Then he spun around, and clambered to his feet, kind eyes narrowed in hate. 

"Don't touch them!" he screamed tears leaking from his violet eyes, the small fists clenched so tightly the nails cut into his palms. "I won't let you hurt him!" Bakura laughed. 

"You think to stand up to me, baka[1]? You can not survive against me!" From the shadows emerged a dark shape, and Diabund struck out at the small figure catching him unaware. From around the boy a golden light appeared, intercepting the blow. As it cracked and splintered away, both Yugi and the monster were thrown back, Yugi crashing into the marble wall. Bakura walked slowly over to the pharaoh and grabbed his hair, wrenching the once proud face skyward. "You see?" he hissed. "You are nothing, I am the stronger, and now you will pay for your family's sin of what you did to mine!" The tomb robber dropped Yami's head and walked out to the middle of the chamber, Diabund appearing silently beside him once more. The monster drew back its fist, preparing to crush the pitiful form at its feet. 

From the corner of the room, a small figure stirred, lifting the little head from the ground. The amethyst eyes looked from Bakura to the monster, to the man at its feet. Yami had not looked at them, the two standing above him preparing to crush him with a single blow. His eyes had gone pale and distant, almost as though he was dead himself. Looking at him, Yugi found himself realizing something. He knew it was hard to lose someone you loved, terribly hard, like a great cavern eating away where your heart used to be. His family had died when he was small, but they had loved him while they were alive. But Yami? Yami had been forced to take up the throne when he lost his family. The Pharaoh of Egypt at sixteen. Not being able to have your family was bad enough, but when you had no one, and didn't know whom you could trust or who would kill you if they only got the chance, that had to be one hundred times worse. Keturah had become Yami's family. They had seen each other through their bad times and fought side by side for their freedoms and beliefs. And to lose that once you had finally found it had to be unbearable. Yugi lifted his head to gaze at the sky, seeing a single star shining brightly in the heavens. He smiled turning to look at Yami before holding the puzzle firmly between his hands, and closing his violet eyes. _'Please, bring her back? He needs her more than he needs me. They need each other…'_

A bright light shone from the puzzle, engulfing the boy holding it. Bakura turned, shielding his dark eyes from the glare. When the light had faded, there was no longer anyone standing in it, only a golden shape revolving slowly before clattering to the ground.

Yami felt a departing touch on his shoulder, and opened his eyes to the world, pulling back the pain to see the things in truth. He looked down, the wound in his heart cutting open again, blood seeping from the fresh wound, pouring regret and sorrow from his chest. He squeezed his eyes shut again, trying to forget. Feeling something brush against his face he opened his eyes again and looked, truly for the first time.

Keturah smiled up at him, tears glistening in her amber eyes one hand resting on his cheek. He stared in disbelief at her, trying to lock himself away again to where the illusion couldn't rip apart his heart. Her pale arms reached up grabbing him around the shoulders, drawing herself up to meet him, burying herself in him. Yami locked his arms around her, his hands like iron, refusing to release her. Bakura stood shocked, staring at the spot where the smaller boy had stood before turning back to the destruction of the pharaoh. He reeled back as he saw the woman sitting up, blood still staining her throat, but the flow had been stemmed. The pharaoh sat, his spirit revived, soul restored. 

'Damn him!' Bakura thought. 'It doesn't matter,' he told himself. 'I'll destroy him anyway!'

"You may have gotten that wench back," he spat, "But I will still have my revenge!" The great shape of Bakura's ka straightened up, ready for battle once more. Upon Yami's mind losing its edge at the shock he had received, the god Obelisk had disappeared. As he pulled himself to his feet, Yami remembered feeling someone pull him from the river of fear and horror he had been drowning in. A small hand with a bright smile, saving him from the scarlet waters. Yugi. Yami turned, looking for the boy's familiar face, but it was not there.

"The little one?" Bakura asked, seeing Yami's eyes sweeping the room. "He's gone." Yami's eyes widened as though he had been hit in the stomach with a sledge hammer, his breath coming out in one sudden rush. His proud form slackened, doubt coming into his eyes. Gone? How? Why? Yugi!? "Don't worry," the tomb robber said as though from a distance. "You'll soon be joining him." Yami looked up into Diabund's eyes, the hunger to hurt, to kill, burning there. 

'Osiris,' Yami prayed, 'Help me!' There was no answering surge of power, and within the corners of his heart Yami knew he did not have the strength to physically summon god, even if his will was great. He watched in agony as Bakura leered at the prospect of destroying him. "Black Magician!" Yami called, "Stand with me against this murderer!" At his side the Black Magician appeared arms crossed, blue eyes icy as he stared at the pair of foes standing against him. Keturah stepped up beside Yami.

"Black Magician Girl," she said softly, "I ask for your help." Her ka appeared at the side of Yami's, hand on hip, fury written on her delicate face. 

"You two actually think you can defeat me with those? You both are returning from the brink of death, your ka will not withstand the might of my attack!" Yami wrapped his tanned arm around Keturah pulling her against him, knowing very well that Bakura's words were true. Bakura let out another laugh, throwing back his snowy head in victory, his shout ringing through the hall seeming to go up to the heavens themselves, echoing amongst the stars. The monster launched its attack, coming closer and closer to the four of them, human and monster alike, united against their enemy. Keturah closed her eyes as the fist grew closer bracing herself for when it hit.

"I do not favor fate," Yami whispered in her ear. She laughed, glad to be alive for one more moment, glad to have him at her side, only wishing the smaller boy stood there also. She opened her eyes, ready to die strong, not cowering from death like a child. But as she did, the final miracle occurred. From the corners on the room, like particles of dust draw towards a center point, pricks of light gathered to form one solid glowing orb, regal in its luminance before it dimmed revealing what it held. A third magician stood where the light had been, straight backed, defying the approaching enemy with the same determination as the others. 

It took its place between the other two, and as Diabund's fist approached, from them came three streams of magic, white from the Black Magician Girl, pale green from the middle magician (and though pale it had an astounding brilliance), and from the Black Magician a deep purple with crackling blue flames around the edges. These three moved as one, forming together a light so bright, so vibrant that you could not look directly at it but had to see it in you mind by the power pulsating through it. Each magician brought their hand towards the others' placing them together forming a ring, and as they did so, Yami swore he could feel another ally standing at his elbow. Bakura's eyes widened as the three monsters shot the stream of magic at his beast, coiling it around its limbs and neck, until with a final blast from each, Diabund gave a great roar of despair, and disappeared, shattering into a thousand pieces disintegrating as they fell through the air. Bakura fell to his knees, the shock waves of the defeat running through him. 

From within its robes, the last magician pulled forth a golden ring. He held it up to catch the sun, and as it did, Bakura screamed in agony. Yami looked on solemnly as a dark mist was pulled from the man, to be encased inside the ring for a millennia. 

"Yami," Keturah whispered her eyes wide. "What happened?" Yami turned back to see the tomb robber's body fall to the ground, an empty shell.

"His soul has been sealed," Yami replied solemnly. The Last Magician glided over to the body, and passed its hand over it, the body melting away into nothing. It paused, looking at something intently before stooping to pick it from the floor, and once again Yami felt that familiar presence, but this time it seemed to come _from_ the magician, not only with it. And as the figure turned Keturah gasped, silver tears leaking from her eyes, and Yami felt a wave of shock swamp him, so familiar and yet so different, as the amethyst eyes met his. 

"Yugi," he breathed. The figure walked over, something clasped in its small hand, and it as he looked closer, Yami saw that it was Maha Vailo, but not as he had been seen before. Looking out from the magician's robes was the face of the boy he had shared the past days of his life with. The spiky hair so like his own, the cheery smile grinning out of the headdress. He pressed the golden ring into Keturah's hands before turning to the pharaoh. The boy stretched out his clasped hand as though trying to give something to them. Yami reached out his own, palm facing skyward and the boy dropped a small gold piece into his hand. The pharaoh held it up between his fingertips and instantly recognized the last piece to connect their two halves of the puzzle. The last piece, with an Eye of Horus upon the shining gold. He looked up at the magician only to find himself looking at his back retreating towards the enormous doors of the hall.

"Yugi!" Keturah screamed desperately, pleading, tears forming in her eyes but refusing to fall. The figure at the door halted, and turned for the last time. The familiar face smiled, closing one eye in farewell before fading into the setting sun. Yami held the golden piece firmly in his hand, feeling the weight of it in his hand, a last message from the lost one. "YUGI!" Keturah cried again, the tears breaking free and streaming from her eyes. She started towards the door where he had disappeared, but Yami stretched out his arm catching her before she could get more than a few steps.

"This is his choice," Yami said, biting back the remorse in his voice. "He wouldn't want you to try to snatch him back now." She peered up into his face, surprised to see his eyes swimming with their own sorrow, shining in the fading light. 

As they stood together among the fading rays, a boy with violet eyes leapt across a river into the waiting arms on the other side. But as he laughed at finally finding those now with him, he cried at the loss of those he had been forced to leave behind, just as they wept for him. 

[1] baka: Japanese for idiot, stupid, moron, ect. Very good insult word! ^-^ 

Well, I think there is going to be one more chapter and then…the end! *sob* T_T And about Yugi, I know you all are probably about to ki-! *dodges thrown vegetables* HEY! DON'T DO THAT! IF I GET KNOCKED UNCONSIOUS HOW WILL I FINISH THE FIC? Haha! Authoress power to avoid thrown produce! HahaHAHA-! (is hit smack it the face with a tomato) -_- R&R please! ^-^ 


	15. The Strength of Heart

Hey! SCHOOL IS CANCLED! ^__^ ah another day of wonderful fic writing! And reading all of your updated ones of course! 

elisey: that's ok, everyone had days when their brain stops working once in a while.wait.actually I have that kind of day every day!! ^__^ and as always when you get to read these little notes, here is the next chapter! 

Nadia Kaiba-Elf Jedi: *bows* why thank you! let me know when you post your story! Sounds cool! It's nice to know that someone will look at my other stuff if I ever get it up! ^-^

PokeGirl: Yeah, I know it is. I'm kind of wondering what I'm going to do with my spare time once I finish. T_T thanks for the review! *huggles computer*

Hiei Dragon Girl: Oh thank you! *beams* Yami and Yugi plushies! *dances around huggling them* thank you! and you put me on your favorites too! Wow! *grins* I feel so loved! And it's no problem to review your story is so cool! I'm looking forward to the next chap!! ^-^ 

Destiny's Dragon, Solo_girl, Hutchy, DarkPixie4: What happened to you guys?? *sniff* ah well, I didn't really give you a lot of time to review that last chapter, just promise to review next time if you're still reading ok? *makes chibi eyes* Pretty please? ^-^ 

^_____^ What would I do without you guys?

Bakura: You could pay attention to important things, like me.

Sorry baka, but I don't think you fall under that category. *points at reviewers* They do. ^-^

Chapter 15 (The last chapter *sniff*.at least I think it is, unless I do an epilogue which knowing me I probably will so, the 2nd to last chapter! Sorry I lied in the last chap!)

Yami's face was set as the last brick was sealed in place. They stood outside the closed wall of the small tomb branching off from the pharaoh's. _"The other game king."_ Yami looked again at the hieroglyphs he had read, it seemed, so long ago. "Safe journey Yugi," he whispered, and turned from the room, sweeping through the palace back to his chamber. The pharaoh leaned back against the door, his heart crying in sorrow and regret. He opened his crimson eyes, only to have them fall on the golden puzzle beside the bed, and lying next to it was the last piece, the one Yugi had given him. Yami walked slowly toward it and picked up the puzzle remembering when Yugi had held it also. He choked back the tears threatening to spill over. 'Why did he do it?' he thought in agony. 'His heart was to great, but he still shouldn't have sacrificed himself for us.' 

With that thought still ringing in his mind Yami pressed the final piece of the puzzle into the center. It glowed with the familiar golden sheen, welcoming Yami back into the world of souls. He found himself standing in a darkened hallway. Behind him he saw the door leading to his own room of twisting staircases and hidden passages. And across the passageway was a small door, familiar in its appearance but he almost refused to believe it was truly there. He reached out a hand, and cautiously pushed the door open. The floor inside was bear, clean, unlike the clutter of toys and games that had been spread across it the last time he had entered the room. But then, in one corner, he saw a small figure huddled on a wooden chest, its knees drawn up to its chest, a huge grin written over the tiny features. 

Yugi jumped up and ran to Yami, throwing his arms around the taller boy. Yami stared in shock for a moment before wrapping his arms around the smaller. He knelt down so they were eye level. Yugi drew back, his amethyst eyes swimming with tears of happiness. 

"It took you so long to get here," Yugi said, rubbing his eyes madly. "I was afraid you would never come." Yami didn't speak, he only looked at the form of the little boy, a great longing, joy, and sadness all expressed on his face at once.

"You can't come back can you?" he asked, he voice catching slightly. Yugi smiled sadly. 

"No, not like I was before at least," he said softly the sorrow easy to hear in his quiet voice. "You two have to live your own lives," he said. "You were before I came, and you can keep going after I've gone." Yami shook his head.

"You changed life to much for it to go back to the way it was," he said squeezing the smaller boy's shoulders. "You _have _to come back!"

"If I could," the little one said, "Have no doubt in your mind that I would be there. But this was my decision, and I gave you two the chance to live." He paused looking at the puzzle inYami's hand before continuing. "It is better to only be able to watch you live your lives with out me, than to actually live it with you, but to have to spend it in constant sorrow for the loss of someone else."

"Yugi!" Yami cried. "We _are_ in constant sorrow! For _you_!" The little boy smiled one last time.

"For now maybe," he said, "but you'll move on, even if you never completely forget." He pulled away from Yami slowly. "Sayonara[1] Yami, but not forever." Yami felt the tears fall from his eyes and slide down his cheeks as the room around him grew hazy. Yugi's face slowly faded away, his bright eyes shedding their own remorse, until they simply were not there any longer. 

Yami found himself kneeling beside the table on which the puzzle had sat. It glistened in the sunlight, complete and final. Yami pulled the string over his head, letting the solid weight of the puzzle pull against his neck, and its warm surface beat against his chest as he stood up. 

The pharaoh strode across the courtyard, cape billowing behind him, the golden pyramid at his neck shining as brightly as the sun. Yami stared out over his country, wondering how so many people could be unaware that an extraordinary person had been lost, and would never be coming back. Keturah came up behind him, slipping her copper hand into his. He turned his head to look at her, eyes lingering on the scar forming on her throat. 

As they stood, from the temple where the monster slates were kept, came three shining streams of light, all coming to rest infront of the pharaoh. The Black Magician stood before his master, along with his female counterpart, and between them was the final magician who had appeared to stand with them before. Maha Vailo bowed low to the pharaoh before straightening to look into Yami's eyes. As he stared back, Yami felt the same innocent spirit and heart beating within the monster that he had felt inside Yugi's soul room. Yugi had sent his ka, to come back to them just not in the way he had been before, as he had promised. Yami stood facing the monster before, his friend's soul come back to him, and then he did something unthinkable for the pharaoh of Egypt. He bowed. He bowed before the magician, bending low to signify his respect and gratitude for the boy whose spirit it contained. When he straightened the magician smiled softly, nodding its head in understanding at Yami's gesture before turning away with the two spell casters at his side, and vanishing back to where they came. 

Yami gazed out into the sky, the clouds skimming across it. And as he looked on, he saw the clouds take on a familiar shape, a face with one eye closed, and a smile on the lips beneath the amethyst eyes.

[1] Sayonara: Japanese for "goodbye." 

Well, I'll try to put up the epilogue soon, but it's probably not going be as long as a normal chapter just so know. *glances outside* NO! IT STOPPED SNOWING! Now I'll have to go to school tomorrow. -_- dang. Well, we'll see about that epilogue, okay? I'll do my best. Now *nervously looks at angry mob running over* .YUGI!

Yugi: *eating candy* Yup?

*hiding behind him* Would you please assure these kind people that you're still alive before the rip off my head?

Yugi: Will you give me chocolate?

What?

Yugi: Will you give me CHOCOLATE! *crazed expression in eyes*

I don't know if that such a good.*mob about 5 inches away* OK! I'LL GIVE YOU CHOCOLATE JUST TELL THEM!

Yugi: *skips over* Don't worry I'm alive! *smiles cutely* 

Mob: Awwwwww! *Disperse looking pleased*

What is it with being cute that gets people to do that? -_- IT'S NOT FAIR! T_T Ah well, I'll just put on a Yugi costume every time I want something. ^-^

Yugi: Where's my chocolate!? Huh huh? Where is it? *peering around*

Uh yes, well I have to go get it, hold on. *sprints away*

Yugi: I don't see any chocolate! YOU LIAR! *runs madly in the same direction*

(from the distance) Please review! It will give me something to look forward to after being destroyed by Yami for telling Yugi he could have my non-existent chocolate!

Yami: YOU LIED TO AIBOU!! **DIE!**

HEEEELP!! 

Review please!! ^_______^ 


	16. The End of the Beginning

Hey guys! Omg, this is the last time I'll be able to say that until I start a new story! *sob* NOOOOOO! *sniff*  
  
Bakura: -_- Here. *holds out tissue*  
  
*blows nose violently* Tanks. ^_^ *holds out used tissue*  
  
Bakura: O.O You know what, I'm feeling generous, so you can keep it. *runs away terrified*  
  
Awwww! How sweet! ^-^ ok, well here's the epilogue. *starts bawling*  
  
Epilogue (the very end T_T)  
  
Keturah smiled leaning against the marble wall looking out into the garden. A cool breeze blew through the palace, ruffling the leaves of the green plants clinging to the walls, and blowing the hair of the two figures standing amongst the trees. The taller of the two was crouched down kneeling at the height of the little boy. Both were crowned with a unique head of hair, black spikes rimmed in red with golden bangs. But while the taller had crimson eyes, the younger one had warm brown eyes crinkled up in a happy grin.  
The pharaoh crouched beside his son in the hot afternoon sun. The little boy looked up at his father with a happy smile spreading across the tiny face. Yami smiled back pulling the little head down, cradling it against his chest. Holding the child in his arms, Yami looked across the desert to where a small boy so like the one he held now slept forever. When he turned back, the little prince had discovered the golden puzzle around Yami's neck. He held it between his tiny hands gazing at it with a curious admiration. Yami arched an eyebrow at his son. The little boy giggled in delight and held his small arms out to his father. The pharaoh pulled the small boy into his arms feeling the child relax and let out a contented sigh. Yami carried him over to the shade where Keturah stood. She reached out her arms to receive the little boy, now sleeping quietly in his father's arms. Yami bent over the sleeping child, brushing the golden bangs out of the little eyes. As he looked at the face he thought again of the boy who had shared the same appearance...except the eyes. He smiled again and bent down over the sleeping angle brushing his lips against the child's forehead.  
"Sleep well little one." Keturah wrapped one arm around his lean form pulling him into her embrace. "Sleep well Yugi," Yami whispered, and the little boy smiled in his sleep at the recognition of his name.  
As the three went from the garden, above them on the roof of the palace a figure shrouded in the bright robes of a magician with bright shining eyes smiled.  
"I knew you would move on."  
  
*blinking back tears* the end. *sniff* ah well, all good things must come to an end. ^-^ So, I hope you liked how everything turned out. *Cast pops up smiling for attention* SMASH! *kicks them back down* Will you all stop trying to hog all the attention? I AM TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING! ME AS IN THE AUTHORESS! THE ALMIGHTY ONE WHO CAN CRUSH YOUR INSIGNIFICANT LITTLE LIVES WITH SEVERAL FINGERS AND A KEYBOARD  
  


* * *

  
O.O *silence*  
  
Anyway, this part was a little confusing I think, so if you have questions tell me and I'll post it on the last page with review thanks! I hope you guys will read and review my other stuff, when and if I ever get it posted. ^-^ Farewell to this story's faithful reviewers! You guys rock! Write on, read forever. ~Ente 


	17. BYE!

Hey everyone! No, really I swear this is the last time I will be here dragging you all back to read this! I just want to let you all know how much it means to me that you reviewed this! And I'm glad everyone enjoyed the end! *sniff* the end! Its........OVER! *sob* *runs over and glomps everyone* sorry I couldn't help myself! ^___^  
  
Hiei Dragon Girl: I'm working on some new ideas for stories so I'll see if I can start another soon. You get the award for the most encouraging reviews and for being ½ the people who have me on their favorite authors list! It means a lot! THANKYOU!  
  
Solo-girl: OMG! I'm being put in a chapter of somebody's story! *takes deep breath to keep from passing out* thank you so much! *sniff* omg omg omg! ^__________^ I don't know what to say! And oxymoron angst! I like the way you worded that! And you also say I'm a powerful writer! *squeals in happiness* I don't know what to do with myself! THANK YOU! hmmm...Yugi's face in present day...hmmm...now you've gotten me thinking if I want to do a sequel or prequel thing...@_@ woah! To much stuff going on inside the head! ^__^ You get the award for the longest review I've ever gotten! And the most Egyptian loving! And.... YOU PUT THIS ON YOUR FAV STORIES! ^_________^  
  
Nadia Kaiba-Elf Jedi: oh thankies! *huggles Nadia Kaiba-Elf Jedi* I feel so special! *sniff* You get the award for always (or at least almost always) having a smiley in your review! So the happiest reviews!  
  
Destiny's Dragon: aaaaaww! I'm so glad! It's nice to know I can make people smile even when they're hundreds of miles away! It's okay about not reviewing before! No sweat! Hope you had fun on your ski trip! Me myself has never skied due to the fact that my father broke his leg going down the first slop on his first skiing trip ever so my family does not take regular trips out there. You get the prize for the oldest reviewer (still reviewing) and the most evil torturing mastermind! I had a blast brainstorming those with you!  
  
Caks: oh good! (look I brainwashed at least one of my friends to read this) of course you should understand why I watch it! IT ROCKS! And hon, it's Yugioh not Ugio, don't know if that's a typo or anything but just thought I'd point that out. And the Japanese version has a really awesome plot, just for some reason the translators wont keep the story line that same. -_- (sorry to anyone who likes the dub better that's just my opinion ^__^) but thanks for reviewing! Even if you only did it so I'd stop bothering you! *grins sheepishly*  
  
Hutchy: I'm glad you enjoyed! Thank you so so so so so so sooooo much for reviewing all this time! You get the prize for the short and sweetest reviews! *pins ribbon on computer* ^__^ keep going with your stories!  
  
PokeGirl: With the priests it's kind of a you choose situation. They either could have died or just gone unconscious for a while depending on how you want it to turn out. Maybe I'll have a sequel with...STOP! *smacks self on head* we are not even on the topic of sequels yet! BAD! *smacks self again* Ow.........I really have to stop doing that. ^_^ You get the prize for the most emotional reviewer! That's a good thing though! I'm depressed over it ending too! *sniffle*  
  
elsiey: I know you didn't review the last chapter but I don't really think you would stop reading. At least that's not the impression your reviews gave........so I may be wrong but if I'm not, thank you for everything! And keep going with your stories! *beams* You get the award for the reviewer that makes me laugh the most. Just the little things in there, always make me smile! ^______^  
  
Reviewers who have come and gone, but I still remember and thank for taking five minutes from your lives to review this! Link-Roy-Marth-lover, Darkpixie4, diablodude, SoulDreamer, Crimson-Eyed- Angel99, Naomi-chan and Raksha666.  
  
Thanks everyone! I'll remember you even after this site has been taken off the net, and the remnants of this story have dissipated and been lost forever, and I'm and old hag reminiscing about all the amazing people who made me feel so happy every time I would check this site and see that the number of reviews had gone up! Really, I love you guys and I'm going to miss you so much! Bye, adios, tschuss, sayonara.....that's about the extent of my foreign language so I can't say it any other way, bye everyone! ^___^  
  
Sing on, dance on, write on, read on.....dream forever. ~Ente *sniff* ^-^ 


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